Darkest Secrets
by MeltingPopsicles
Summary: After a wrongful act is committed, secrets are exposed, and tensions between cats within the clans rise as the looming threat of rogues grows more apparent. Adders hide in plain sight and the powers of the Dark Forest seem to overshadow those of StarClan. What will Buzzard do when his loyalties are tested? Will he fight for his clan, or succumb to the desires of others?
1. Prologue

Prologue

"Fire!"

The panicked screech was drowned out by the sound of a creaking branch plummeting into the Thunderclan camp, it's bark being devoured by the hungry flames that caused its descent. Goldenstar squinted his eyes against the ash filled air, his thick pelt blazing at the closeness of the heat. "Everyone out!"

Standing near the camp's entrance, the tom peered through the flames as he awaited for his clan's safe escape. _Quailblink, Bluebubble, Russetprowl… Where's Fawnleap? _The tom's heart filled with dread as he noticed the absence of his mate, who was pregnant with his kits. Without a second's notice, the tom dashed into the flames, his ears deafened by the roar of burning bracken and foliage.

"Fawnleap!" He called, his voice cracking as the ash entered his lungs. Whipping his head around frantically, he noticed the small brown bundle crushed under the massive branch that had fallen before. Immediately, he raced to her side, his muscles straining to lift the giant burden that had squashed the she-cat. She gave a weak cough, filling him with temporary relief. "Goldenstar…"

"Don't speak," His mew was urgent and panicked, "You'll waste your energy." He grabbed her by the scruff, closing his eyes as he dashed back to the camp's entrance, the flames hungrily licking at him and his pelt. In what seemed like moons, the tom finally burst through the blaze, rejoining his clanmates that had escaped before.

"Is that everyone?" Mewed Palecloud, the Thunderclan deputy. The Thunderclan cats had moved to the lake, the rest of the forest ablaze. Goldenstar nodded, counting every cat once more. The apprentices were curled up together, the warriors were consoling each other and the elders, the medicine cat was checking on his mate. Knowing his clanmates were safe, the tom felt a calm wash over him, despite the circumstances.

"What do we do now?" Said a quiet voice, followed by a fit of weak coughing. Goldenstar hummed for a second, his golden eyes peering into a part of the forest that was seemingly untouched.

"We go to Shadowclan."

* * *

"She will be alright, yes?" Goldenstar asked the Shadowclan medicine cat, Cinderpaws. The small tom was helping Speckledlight tend to Fawnleap, his short stubby tail twitching in frustration. His apprentice, Gorsepaw, was out fetching water.

"Yes, yes, for the thousandth time, yes!" The tom mewed irritably, his eyebrows furrowed. Shadowclan had seen the fire from their camp, and sent a patrol to collect the Thunderclan cats and bring them in.

Goldenstar frowned at the other tom's irritation, slowly ducking out of the medicine den. He shook his pelt, the smell of flames and ash clinging to it tightly. The massive brown tom turned, immediately coming face to face with the Shadowclan leader.

"Starclan Mousestar! You sure gave me a scare." The tom mewed to the small she-cat that stood before him. She smiled at him, her pale green eyes seemingly glittering.

"My apologies," She purred, whisking her long fluffy tail, "I didn't mean to scare you. How is she?"

He frowned once more. "I'm not sure. Cinderpaws said she would be alright, but then again, he seemed really frustrated. I don't think he likes me very much."

Mousestar chuckled, smiling softly. "Yes, that medicine cat, he's quite a grouch. It's nothing personal. Besides, you both will have plenty of time to warm up to each other. Thunderclan may stay in Shadowclan's camp for as long as they wish."

Goldenstar smiled at the she-cat, a small purr rumbling in his chest. "Thank you, Mousestar. I promise that my warriors will do their part until we rebuild." Suddenly, the tom's belly began to rumble. Embarrassed, the tom looked at his paws sheepishly.

The brown she-cat began to laugh. "Hopefully you cats won't eat up all of our food. If you're hungry, feel free to enjoy some freshkill." She bounded over to the pile across the camp, grabbing a juicy rat and returning with it. Goldenstar smiled at the gesture, taking the rodent from her jaws.

"While I do appreciate the offer," He started, licking his jaws, "I couldn't possibly finish this by myself. Would you mind eating with me?" This wasn't true, as he could have easily finished the prey in a few swift bites, but the tom enjoyed the Shadowclan leader's company, and wanted her to stay longer.

"I wouldn't mind at all." The she-cat chirped, laying down next to Goldenstar and nibbling at the prey. The tom smiled, taking in the she-cat's sweet scent as he ate as well. With a quiet sigh, he leaned in closer, allowing his pelt to mingle with hers. Despite the situation, everything seemed to fade away.


	2. Allegiances

**THUNDERCLAN:**

Leader:

Goldenstar - A massive, muscular, dark brown tabby tom with large, black paws and striking golden eyes.

Deputy:

Palecloud - A thin cream colored tom with a long tail. (Apprentice: Dragonflypaw.)

Medicine Cat:

Speckledlight - A small, gray colored she-cat with a white muzzled speckled with dark grey flecks.

Warriors:

Newtwhisper - A rose colored she-cat with a black tail.

Cherrystrike - A red tabby tom. (Apprentice: Violetpaw.)

Bluebubble - A small gray tom with bright blue eyes.

Aloefang - A white she-cat with protruding pointy teeth.

Briarfoot - A large brown tom. (Apprentice: Volepaw.)

Foxgrowl - A lanky red tom with a fox-like appearance.

Koipatch - A small white she-cat with splotches of orange and black spotting her pelt.

Quailblink - A gray she-cat with pitch black paws.

Chipmunkzip - A brown she-cat with a streak of white running down her back.

Dingomuzzle - A ruddy colored tom with small white paws.

Russetprowl - A large, red ciolored tom with white and brown patches covering his thick coat.

Doeskip - A brown she-cat with a white muzzle.

Jackdawtalon - A black she-cat with long, white claws.

Sprucestep - A brown spotted tom.

Thistlepounce - A dark brown tabby tom with dark amber eyes.

Honeytail - A yellow pelted she-cat with green eyes.

Apprentices:

Dragonflypaw - A black and white tom with Heterochromia. (Mentor: Palecloud.)

Volepaw - A skinny, brown tabby tom with white paws. (Mentor: Briarfoot.)

Violetpaw - A white she-cat with light brown markings. (Mentor: Cherrystrike.)

Queens:

Fawnleap - A small, beautiful, brown and red spotted she-cat with dark yellow eyes and a small head. (Kit: Buzzardkit.)

Kits:

Buzzardkit - A large, brown and red tabby tom with black paws, striking golden eyes and odd shaped dapples spotting his thick pelt. (Mother: Fawnleap)

Elders:

Mottleddusk - A gray tom with crooked whiskers.

Elkpool - A brown colored she-cat with a single white paw.

**SHADOWCLAN:**

Leader:

Mousestar - A small brown she cat with a white underbelly and a long, feather-like tail.

Deputy:

Flamescar - A flame colored tom with glowing amber eyes.

Medicine Cat:

Cinderpaws - A gray tom with a short, stubby tail. (Apprentice: Gorsepaw.)

Warriors:

Viperhiss - A large, heavily scarred gray tabby tom with long, black claws.

Shrewpounce - A brown spotted tom.

Silkyspark - A light gray tabby she-cat with long, silky fur.

Nettleclaw - A black she-cat with a spiky tail.

Velvetowl - A white she-cat with black spots. (Apprentice: Flowerpaw.)

Oatblossom - A brown tabby tom with darker hindlegs.

Valleyskip - A white tom with a gray head.

Heatherflight - A light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and small ears.

Vulturefeather - A dark brown tom with feather like hairs protruding from his ears.

Ebonythroat - A thin white she-cat with a splash of black on her throat.

Chivepelt - A flame colored tom with bright green eyes.

Evergreenstride - A small, yellow colored she-cat with bright green eyes.

Apprentices:

Flowerpaw - A brown she-cat with whote paws.

Gorsepaw - A small brown tom with a slight stammer.

Queens:

Mousestar. (Kit: Eaglekit.)

Pinknose - A small yellow she cat with white paws and a bright pink nose. (Kits: Orangekit, Swiftkit, Tigerkit.)

Kits:

Eaglekit - A large brown tabby tom with black paws, a splash of white on his chest, and striking golden eyes. (Mother: Mousestar.)

Orangekit - An orange tabby tom with white paws. (Mother: Pinknose.)

Swiftkit - A light gray tom with white paws. (Mother: Pinknose.)

Tigerkit - A large yellow tom with distinct tabby markings. (Mother: Pinknose.)

Elders:

Minnowtail - A small brown and white tom.

**RIVERCLAN**:

Leader:

Pikestar - A tall, sleek furred, gray tom with a curly tail.

Deputy:

Creekswim - A brown tabby she-cat with black markings on her face.

Medicine Cat:

Cedarsplash - A white tom with a brown face and brown paws. (Apprentice: Reedpaw.)

Warriors:

Birchwing - A light gray tom. (Apprentice: Snowpaw.)

Clayspots - A brown and black spotted tom.

Lizardshadow - A small black she-cat with white markings. (Apprentice: Spottedpaw.)

Mossfall - A orange colored she-cat with green eyes. (Apprentice: Snakepaw)

Rippleclaw - A blue colored tom with black toe-tips.

Apprentices:

Reedpaw - A white she-cat with faint gray tripes. (Mentor: Cedarsplash.)

Spottedpaw - A brown and white tom. (Mentor: Lizardshadow.)

Snakepaw - A black she-cat with white markings. (Mentor: Mossfall.)

Snowpaw - A pure white tom. (Mentor: Birchwing.)

Queens:

There are no queens in Riverclan.

Elders:

Heroncloud - A frail black she-cat with a graying muzzle.

**WINDCLAN:**

Leader:

Furzestar - A thin, wiry brown she-cat with yellow eyes.

Deputy:

Rabbitspring - A lean brown tom with black and white paws.

Medicine Cat:

Juniperclaw - A small, lavender colored tom with a long, slender tail. (Apprentice: Rushpaw.)

Warriors:

Haybreeze - A brown she cat.

Toadstalk - A pitch black tom with glowing amber eyes. (Apprentice: Goosepaw.)

Hazellight - A light cream she-cat with a short pelt.

Beesting - A yellow colored she-cat with black markings. (Apprentice: Aspenpaw.)

Smokepelt - A gray tabby tom with a lighter gray belly.

Apprentices:

Goosepaw - A black tom.

Aspenpaw - A gray she-cat with green eyes.

Rushpaw - A flame colored tom with cream paws.

Queens:

Cypressgaze -A flame colored she-cat with cream paws. (Kits: Daisykit, Mistykit, Stonekit.)

Kits:

Daisykit - A black she-cat with cream colored paws. (Mother: Cypressgaze.)

Mistykit - A flame colored she-cat with a black tail. (Mother: Cypressgaze.)

Stonekit - A black tom with a splash of orange on his belly.

Elders:

There are no elders in Windclan.

**CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS:**

Maggot - A hairless tom with a skinny body.

Pitch - A pitch black tom with a raspy voice.

Icy - A white she-cat with icy blue eyes.

Gravel - A gray tom with cracked yellow teeth.

Argus - A brown and gray tom.

Snowball - A white fluffy tom with bright blue eyes.

Orion - A small, fluffy, mottled tom with a triangular shaped head and a long plumy tail.


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Buzzardkit, wake up! You don't want to miss it!"

The fluffy brown kit awoke to his mother's mew, his golden eyes immediately shutting as the blazing sunlight streaming from the nursery entrance hit his face. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, the dark tabby tom stood to his paws, yawning quietly. "Miss what, mama?"

"Look!" The dappled she-cat meowed, her tail pointing to the nursery's entrance. Allowing his eyes to focus, Buzzardkit was shocked to see the sheet of whiite snow coating the Thunderclan camp's floor.

"Wow!" He mewed, his eyes widening. Being born in Greenleaf, the young kit had never seen snow before, and the white wonder certainly fascinated him. Turning to Fawnleap, the tom listened to his mother purr. With a gentle nod of her head, Buzzardkit dashed out into the snow, sending flurries of white everywhere.

He was immediately hit with the cold, making him bush his pelt out in response. Waddling around the camp on his sturdy legs, the tom greeted the other cats around him, his eyes still wide with amazement. He turned his head to the call of his name.

"Buzzardkit, my son!" The deep voice mewed, the tom padding up to the small kit. Buzzardkit craned his neck to meet the gaze of his father, who was smiling warmly at him. He immediately bowled him over, catching the Thunderclan leader by surprise.

"Such a fearsome warrior!" Goldenstar purred, feigning defeat as his large black paws flailed in the air. "Gah! Starclan help me."

Buzzardkit's chest swelled with pride as he lightly bit his father's paw. "Take that, you filthy Shadowclan warrior! I'm Buzzardstar, and I rule this camp!"

Goldenstar chuckled good naturedly, still putting up his act. "P-Please, oh great Buzzardstar, spare an old innocent cat like me. I'll hunt you your favorite prey for one hundred moons if you do!"

The young tom kit seemed to think for a second, then slowly stepped off of the much larger tom. "Fine. But you better bring me one thousand mice, every single day!"

The Thunderclan leader smiled at his son, rising to his paws. "Whatever you say, Buzzardstar. I am your servant!" He batted at his son's nose playfully, then ruffled his head with his large paws. Buzzardkit immediately felt his pelt flush with embarrassment.

"Hey dad, don't do that. I don't want the apprentices to see." He attempted to smooth the hair on his head down, but it was much too late. Dragonflypaw and Violetpaw had already bounded towards him.

Dragonflypaw spoke first, a sneer on his face. "Aww, look at the kit playing with his papa. Your hair looks like a lion." The apprentice's discolored blue and yellow eyes twinkled mischievously.

"I'm not a kit! I'll be an apprentice in a moon."

"Still a kit." Pitched in Violetpaw, her tongue sticking out mockingly.

Buzzardkit frowned at the other two apprentices, standing to his paws. Despite the age difference, the young kit was about the same size as Violetpaw, and when standing on his tip-toes, he was almost the same height as Dragonflypaw. Buzzardkit had definitely inherited his father's massive stature.

The dark colored leader spoke, his deep voice slightly stern. "Oh, leave him alone you two. You were both the same way when you were kits, if not worse. And hey, shouldnt two be training right now?" At the sound of the question, the two apprentices scampered off, kicking up snow in the process. Goldenstar turned back to his son.

"Don't mind them. Apprentices just like causing mischief."

Buzzardkit shook his head, his ears twitching. "Oh, I don't really care. They can joke around all they want, but I'm going to be their leader someday!"

Goldenstar smiled, his eyes warm. "You sure will, my son. I'll make sure of it." He gave the kit a quick lick over the head, then padded away to the deputy who had been sitting nearby. Buzzardkit looked around the camp, the loss of his father's warmth making him fluff out his pelt again. His golden eyes shining, the kit suddenly felt like he was being watched.

Indeed he was. Across the camp, Thistlepounce, a dark brown tabby tom, stared at the kit, his dark amber eyes seemingly filled with warning. Buzzardkit felt a shiver run down his spine. _What's his problem?_ The kit was broken from his thoughts as he heard the call of his mother's voice.

"Buzzardkit, it's time for bed." The kit looked up, not noticing how much time had passed. The sun was beginning to set, making the snowy camp floor seem like it shined. Buzzardkit bounded to the nursery, too unnerved to protest. He decided to not tell her what had happened, not wanting her to worry.

Curling up in his nest, Buzzardkit closed his eyes, the warm scent of his mother comforting him. He slowly fell asleep, his breathing slowing as he dreamt.


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Buzzardkit woke to the sound of a crying owl. Fluttering his eyes open, the little tom was shocked to see himself in a dense forest, so dark that light seemed unable to penetrate through the thick branches spiraling above him. The owl called again, sending an unnerving chill down his spine.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?" The kit called, his voice echoing loudly. It seemed as if the thick trees choked out the sound, their massive trunks and twisted branches contorting into horrifying faces. Despite the lack of a light source, the shadows seemed to stretch forever around him. Letting out a quiet exhale, Buzzardkit continued through the forest, the soggy ground squelching beneath him at every pawstep. His eyes had adjusted to the dim woods, but the kit tripped and stumbled over unseen roots and holes. Still, he continued forward, determined to find his way out of the forest. "Hello?"

The sound of a twig breaking behind him made the kit whip his head around. Or was it beside him? The confusing labyrinth of forestry made it impossible to tell which direction was which, making the kit fluff out his pelt in fear. "Who's there?"

In response, a pair of dark amber eyes flashed through the branches, the slitted pupils focused on the young kit. As soon as they had appeared however, the eyes seemed to vanish, leaving no trace of who or what they could have belonged to. Still, Buzzardkit dashed after it, much rather being in the company of another animal, rather than wandering through the thick forest alone. The creature left black pawsteps where ever it stepped, leaving a trail for the kit to follow. _At least I know it's a cat, and not some predator._

After what seemed like forever, Buzzardkit burst through the thick forest into a small clearing, the circular area dimly illuminated by glowing mushrooms. The tracks he had followed before seemed to have disappeared, giving no indication that the cat had ever come here. _Aww man! Did I make a wrong turn?_

The kit was broken from his thoughts at the sound of a voice. "Greetings, young one." Looking around him frantically, Buzzardkit was unable to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. "Where are you?"

No response. The kit spotted a movement in the branches above him, which disappeared as soon as he had noticed it. The echoey voice came again.

"Do not worry, child. No harm will come to you here." Another movement in the trees, but this time it was closer. Buzzardkit instinctively unsheathed his claws, crouching down to the wet ground.

The voice chuckled. "A fighter, hm? I've chosen well, I see. Come closer, so I can get a better look at you." Doing as he was told, Buzzardkit slowly moved to the center of the clearing, his pelt still bushed out. Expecting the voice to speak more, the kit was surprised when he was met with silence. "Are you still there?"

Spotting a movement in the bushes adjacent to him, the brown tom bared his teeth in the direction, his back arched in a hiss. The bushes stopped moving, sending fear through his little body.

Suddenly, the air before him seemed to shake. It grew fuzzy as the same black paw prints from before appeared on the ground, seemingly without an owner. The pawprints then grew feet, then a body, finally ending with a tapering broad head. The cat opened their eyes, the dark amber optics glowing brighter than the mushrooms around them.

His hackles raised in fear, Buzzardkit looked at the stared at the cat, her tall stature looming over him. Though she was definitely a cat, her body almost seemed faded, small black particles sparking from her dirty white pelt every now and again. After a few seconds of silence, the she-cat spoke again.

"Welcome, Buzzardkit. I am Darkenedstreak." She sat down, the soggy moss below her seemingly shriveling up beneath her. Her long, skinny tail whisked behind her, picking up the sludge every time it touched the ground.

"H-How do you know my name?" Buzzardkit mewled, his eyes wide as he gazed upon the many scars that lined her body.

Darkenedstreak chuckled, clicking her tongue. "I know a lot of things, young one. I even know why you are here."

Buzzardkit relaxed slightly, sheathing his claws. Though the she-cat did scare him by suddenly appearing in front of him, he oddly felt at ease in her presence. "What is this place? And, why _am _I here?"

She gave a small smile, rising to her paws. "This is the Dark Forest. I'm sure you've heard stories of the place." She paused for a second, tilting her head. "As for why you are here, I'm afraid I cannot tell you right now. You'll learn with time, I guarantee it."

The brown tom looked at his paws, the wet moss squeezing between his toe tips. He had heard stories about the Dark Forest, and the horrors the cats that lived there had inflicted upon the clans. His eyes widening, he looked back up. _Why am _I _here? _"Isn't this the place where bad catt go after they die?"

The question seemed to irritate the she-cat, her pelt bushing as she gave a small huff. "No, that's what they want you to believe. The Dark Forest is a place where _strong _cats go, cats that Starclan can't control." She looked into Buzzardkit's eyes, dark amber piercing golden,"We refuse to be weak sheep and follow their silly omens and prophecies, and thus, we're banished to walk here for all eternity."

"Oh." Buzzardkit mewed, unsure of what to say. His little head was lifted by the she-cat's tail, a small smile on her face.

"Don't fret, little one, you're not down here because you're 'bad'. No, you're down here because you're meant to be a great leader someday. I'm simply here to help."

This lifted the kit's spirits immediately. "Really? Ha, I knew it!" He did a small flip, making Darkenedstreak chuckle quietly.

"Mhmm. Actually, _we _have a prophecy for you. Starclan cats aren't the only ones that can give them out, you know." Her eyes were warm as she observed the bundle of fluff bounce around.

"A prophecy? For me?" Buzzardkit's eyes widened. "Wow! What is it?"

Darkenedstreak shook her head, the smile still on your face. "Before I can tell you, there is another cat you must meet. Once you do, your journey will begin." As she spoke, the darkness of the forest seemed to brighten up. Darkenedstreak became even more faded, until her body was only a silhouette against the brightening scene. "You're waking up now. Find the cat, and I will visit you again."

Unable to protest, Buzzardkit felt his body become lighter, his eyes closing once more. Before he woke, Darkenedstreak's voice rang in his head once more.

"Find the cat, Buzzardkit. Together, you two are destined for greatness."


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had been a moon since Buzzardkit had his dream, and Darkenedstreak had faded into a distant memory. He had made a point to speak with every cat in the clan, including the elders, but the dream cat had not reappeared to him since. _Maybe she's got the wrong cat._ He thought bitterly. There wasn't another cat in the clan that he felt could be the second, and thus, he kept the dream a secret, even from his father.

Now, Buzzardkit was sitting outside of the nursery, his mother fretting over a burr stuck in his pelt. He groaned in disdain, wanting to be left alone.

"Please, Fawnleap, I've washed my pelt twelve times today. One silly burr won't ruin anything."

The small brown she-cat wasn't listening, grasping the burr between her teeth and yanking it from his thick fur. "No, Buzzardkit. Today is your apprentice ceremony, and you need to look your best."

Buzzardkit smiled to himself quietly. He had finally reached the age of six moons, and was ready to be apprenticed. He wondered who his mentor would be. _Palecloud? No, he just had an apprentice. Maybe Newtwhisper? She seems like a fun cat. _Looking up to the sky, the tom sighed. His ceremony would be held at sunhigh, but it seemed like the great ball of fire didn't want to rise today, barely crawling across the sky. _Oh, come on._

He was distracted by his thoughts by his mother rasping her tongue over his head once more. Groaning loudly, Buzzardkit shuffled away from her, fixing the tuft of hair on his head the way he wanted it. Fawnleap smiled at him softly, her fluffy tail wrapped neatly around her paws. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a voice.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Goldenstar's yowl rang out, echoing across the large camp. _Yes!_ Buzzardkit bounded to the Ledge, sitting directly in front of it. Goldenstar smiled at his son, his dark brown pelt shining in the pale sun. Once the clan had gathered, the tom began to speak.

"Today is a great day for Thunderclan," He started, his deep voice filling the camp, "We have three apprentices becoming warriors, and one kit becoming an apprentice. Dragonflypaw, step forward."

The black and white tom bounded forward, his discolored eyes glowing as he looked up at his leader. "You have passed your warrior assessment with flying colors, and are ready to become a warrior of Thunderclan. Thus I, Goldenstar, leader of Thunderclan, call apon call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in turn."

Dragonflypaw's chest swelled with pride as he lifted his head, his tail swaying behind him eagerly. "Dragonflypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dragonflypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dragonflywing. StarClan honors your courage and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan." Dragonflywing stepped back, his mentor giving him a nod of approval. The ceremony continued for Violetpaw and Volepaw, with each of them earning the names Violetstream and Voletail respectively. Buzzardkit zoned out, awaiting his turn.

"Buzzardkit, step forward." _Yes! It's finally happening!_

The brown tom stepped forward, looking up at his father who was beaming with pride. "Buzzardkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Buzzardpaw. Your mentor will be Russetprowl. As a senior warrior, I hope Russetprowl will pass down all he knows on to you." Buzzardpaw turned to his new mentor, padding towards him to touch noses. The fiery colored tom gave the apprentice a small nod, his tail whisking behind him. "As the leader's son, I expect great things from you."

Buzzardpaw nodded, sitting down as the cats around him cheered their names. "Dragonflywing, Violetstream, Voletail, Buzzardpaw!" Smiling with pride, the tom turned to his mother, whose eyes were clouded with tears. "I'm so proud of you." She mouthed, a big smile on her face.

With that, Goldenstar gave a small nod, then leaped down from the great stone. "Meeting dismissed!"

Buzzardpaw padded over to the new warriors, dipping his head. "Congratulations." He mewed to them, his ears twitching. They would be sitting vigil tonight to make their ranks official. "Good luck keeping quiet the whole night, Dragonflywing." Buzzardpaw joked, his tail whisking behind him.

The warrior rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out at the new apprentice. "Yeah, whatever. Try not to get ripped to shreds by Russetprowl, that guy is tough." As he said this, Russetprowl called his apprentice's name, summoning him. Buzzardpaw bounded over, his eyes glowing happily.

"We'll start our trainin' now. Let's get a look around the territory, then head back before the sun sets, alright?" Buzzardpaw nodded, following his mentor out of camp.

His nose was immediately hit with the smell of forestry and snow. Having been outside of camp with his father before, the scenery wasn't a complete shock, but the sounds and smells still fascinated him. Russetprowl looked at him, his eyebrows raised slightly. "You've been out here before, yes? Well, that makes things easier for me."

The two toms padded around the territory, Russetprowl pointing out the major landmarks. _The lake, the Sky Oak, the abandoned Twoleg Place… _Buzzardpaw processed the information inwardly, humming quietly as his mentor pointed out something new.

"WindClan territory," Russetprowl was saying as they stood on the border, "Is mostly moor and grass, so it's very wide an' exposed. We haven't been having too much trouble with them recently, but sometimes their warriors get a little picky about their rabbits." Buzzardpaw nodded, following the red tom through the dense forest once more.

"There's one more place I need to show you, then we can head back to camp. The ShadowClan border. Let's pick up the pace so we can get back before dark." The two toms sprinted through the woodlands, finally coming to a stop at the small thunderpath that was the border. It's acrid scent was strong enough to make Buzzardpaw wrinkle his nose, earning a chuckle from his mentor. "Though it's rarely used, this Thunderpath still smells strongly of monsters an' Twolegs. It's still advised to be cautious here." He looked up from his apprentice, pointing his tail to the thick trees past the border

"ShadowClan territory is much like ours, a dense forest full of trees. The tree's branches are so thick there, however, that they block out the sun almost completely, permanently covering the place in shadow." As he spoke, a movement passed by on the other side of the border. Buzzardpaw focused on it, spotting two cats pad out of the dense undergrowth, a massive gray tabby tom and a smaller, but definitely large brown tom with a splash of white on his belly. His striking golden eyes shone as he looked at Buzzardpaw and his mentor.

"Hello, Viperhiss. Who is this you have with you?" Russetprowl called.

The big gray tom spoke, his jaw moving awkwardly due to the long scar on his face. "This is my apprentice, Eaglepaw. Today is his first day out."

Russetprowl nodded, turning to Buzzardpaw. "This is my apprentice, Buzzardpaw. It's his first day as well."

The gray tom hummed, observing Buzzardpaw. "That's Goldenstar's son, yes?"

Buzzardpaw didn't hear his mentor's response, his attention focused on the young apprentice on the other side of the border. The other tom, Eaglepaw, stared back, his large plack paws barely visible against this dark brown pelt. _Why is he so… interesting? _Buzzardpaw couldnt help but wonder. The other tom seemed non threatening and pensive, his golden eyes locked with Buzzard's.

The apprentice was shaken from his thoughts as he was nudged by his mentor, his tail whisking over his flank. "Well, it's nice to speak with you Viperhiss, but Buzzardpaw an' I should be returnin' to camp now." He turned to Eaglepaw, who was still facing Buzzardpaw. "I wish you well with your trainin'. Come on Buzzardpaw."

Buzzardpaw shook his head, giving the other apprentice one last look. Following his mentor, he turned his head to look behind him one more time, seeing that the other apprentice had done so as well. Viperhiss called his name, making him wrench his gaze from the Thunderclan cat. Buzzardpaw watched his brown tail disappear into the shadows, finally turning around to rejoin his mentor. _Something about him is… familiar. _He shrugged it off, finally entering the Thunderclan clearing.

The moon was climbing its way up the night sky, meaning that the new warriors would be sitting their vigil now. Padding to the apprentices den, Buzzardpaw lied down in his new nest, which his father had kindly made for him earlier. It felt weird not having the scent of his mother filling the otherwise empty den, but Buzzardpaw shook away the thought, curling up. Closing his eyes, the tom gave a quiet sigh, quickly falling into a deep sleep.


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Excellent, Buzzardpaw!" Russetprowl exclaimed as the apprentice successfully pinned him to the sandy clearing. Buzzardpaw smiled, loosening his grip on his mentor and allowed the tom to get up.

It had been about a half moon since Buzzardpaw became an apprentice, and the young brown tom seemed to ace every challenge that came his way. On his first hunting assessment, he had managed to catch a plump squirrel and a few mice, despite the Leaf Bare chill. He had also bested his mentor in training countless times, earning praise from the red tom each time he did so.

Russetprowl shook the dust from his pelt, lifting his head to the sky. "Sundown. Tonight is the night Gathering, we should get back to camp." The brown apprentice's eyes lit up at the prospect of going, earning a small head shake from his mentor. "Don't get your hopes up. Apprentices usually do not attend the Gathering during their first moon of training, but since you have been doing so well, I'll ask if Goldenstar could consider."

Prancing around, Buzzardpaw smiled in delight. He couldn't wait to get back to camp, and prayed to Starclan that he would be chosen. _It's an honor to attend the Gathering in the first place, let alone during my first moon of training!_

The ttwo toms padded through the Thunderclan entrance, the prickly gorse barrier tugging at Buzzardpaw's pelt. The camp was active, many cats waiting near the center of the clearing to hear who would be chosen for the Gathering. Buzzardpaw bounded over to his mother, who was sitting by the freshkill pile. Lifting her head, she greeted her son with a warm smile.

"Hello, Buzzardpaw. How was your training today?" The she-cat touched her nose to her son's shoulder, her small stature looking even tinier next to her son's massive size. It seemed like he would never stop growing, easily towering over her and almost reaching Russetprowl's height. He gave her a small smile.

"It was great! I learned a new move today, and added a little twist to catch Russetprowl off guard." He demonstrated the move, leaping into the air then twisting his back so that he landed on the imaginary cat's rump. Fawnleap gave a small chuckle in response.

"My little warrior. You must be hungry. Would you like this mouse I've just caught? It's still warm." Before Buzzardpaw could answer, his mew was cut off by the sound of his father's voice.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the High Ledge for a clan meeting!" The cats in the clearing shuffled closer to the rock, while those within their dens eagerly padded out. Buzzardpaw joined them, leaving his mother behind at the freshkill pile.

"As you all may know," Goldenstar started, "Tonight's the night of the Gathering. I will announce the attending cats now." Buzzardpaw leaned in, hoping that he would hear his name.

"Dinogmuzzle, Aloefang, Foxgrowl, Dragonflywing, Briarfoot, Cherrystrike, Doeskip, Koipatch and Russetprowl, you all will be attending. Oh, and Buzzardpaw." _Aww man… Wait, that's me! _Buzzardpaw sprang to his paws, barely containing his excitement. _My first Gathering!_

Goldenstar chuckled lightly at his son's eagerness, leaping down from the High Ledge to join him. "Meeting dismissed. We will be departing soon." Buzzardpaw watched as his father approached him, the chosen cats saying their farewells to the staying cats and making their way to the camp entrance. Buzzardpaw looked up, his father smiling down at him.

"Russetprowl told me about your training today. You don't know how proud you make me." His golden eyes were warm as he beamed down at his son, sitting down in front of him. Fawnleap padded over towards the two, the mouse from earlier dangling from her jaws. She dropped it at her son's paws.

"Eat. You'll be grateful later, trust me." Without a moment's notice, Buzzardpaw tucked into the prey, devouring it quickly. His parents watched him eat, their pelts brushing as they purred. Seeing that he was finished, Goldenstar stood.

"All done? Good. Cats going to the Gathering, we're leaving now!" Buzzardpaw sprang to his paws, dashing towards the camp entrance. He followed closely behind his father, not wanting to be late.

* * *

Buzzardpaw's eyes widened as he padded into the clearing, shocked by the large amount of cats already there. His father had taken his place on one of the branches, quietly chatting with the Windclan leader. The apprentice jumped as he heard a voice murmur in his ear.

"That's Furzestar, the Windclan leader." Buzzardpaw recognized the voice of his mentor, who had joined him near the edge of the clearing. "You see that gray tom over there with the curly tail? That's Pikestar, the Riverclan leader. It seems like Shadowclan isnt here yet."

Buzzardpaw nodded, slightly unnerved by the huge group of cats. _And Shadowclan isn't even here yet! _He was broken from his thoughts by the sound of another voice.

"Hi!" Mewed the cat, their voice shrill and light. Buzzardpaw turned to the source, met with the sight of a pretty brown she-cat with sparkling green eyes. "I'm Aspenpaw. What's your name?"

Buzzardpaw felt slightly uneasy speaking with other clan cats. _What if I say something stupid? _Blinking a few times, he opened his mouth to speak. "Buzzardpaw."

"Buzzard_paw_?" Came another voice, belonging to a stocky brown and white tom. "With how big you are, I would have mistaken you to be a warrior."

Aspenpaw rolled her eyes at the tom, her whiskers twitching. "Oh, Spottedpaw, don't be rude. Not every cat can be as sleek as you Riverclanners." She turned back to Buzzardpaw, who was shocked into silence. "I've been to a few Gatherings, but I've never seen you before. Is this your first?"

Buzzardpaw gave a simple nod, still stunned.

"Oh goodie! I can show you around then. Come on, sit with us!" Aspenpaw and Spottedpaw padded a few tail lengths away, joining a few other apprentices.

"Buzzardpaw, meet Snakepaw, Goosepaw and Snowpaw." Aspen pointed to the black she-cat with white on her belly, the black tom with a raggedy pelt, and the white tom with bright blue eyes respectively. Buzzarpaw gave a small nod to each of them.

"Buzzard_paw_?" The black she-cat, Snakepaw, spoke. "Woah, you're huge dude!" Buzzarpaw gave an awkward thanks, unsure if he was getting complimented or insulted. He sat down next to Aspenpaw, who was showing him the cats sitting around them.

"That's Juniperclaw, the Windclan medicine cat," She was saying, "And that small red tom next to him is Rushpaw, his apprentice. That black to- Oh look, Shadowclan is here!" She stopped herself mid sentence as the fourth clan joined the others. The group of cats was led by a small brown she cat, a prominent splash of white coating her belly. She was followed by seven other warriors and two apprentices, a meek brown tom with a white tail tip and a much larger, dark brown tabby tom with bright golden eyes.

_That's him! The interesting cat from Shadowclan. What was his name? _Buzzardpaw thought to himself, his own eyes narrowing as he thought. His thought process was broken by the voice of his father, who was standing on the branch. "Shadowclan has arrived. Let the Gathering begin!"

The commotion and voices settled down at the sound of his yowl, prompting the Windclan leader to stand. "I'll start first." The wiry brown she-cat mewed. "Prey in Windclan has been running well, as the Leaf-Bare thaws and New-Leaf rises. Rabbitspring has retired from his position as deputy to the elders den, and Toadstalk has taken his place as deputy of Windclan." Murmurs of congratulations rang through the clearing. Furzestar sat back down, allowing the Shadowclan leader to speak.

"I suppose I can speak next." The pretty brown she-cat mewed, her voice sweet. "Shadowclan has been running well, aswell. We have gained a new apprentice, Eaglepaw. His mentor is Viperhiss." Buzzardpaw turned to the dark brown apprentice, followed by the rest of the cats in the clearing. The tom showed no emotion on his face, his golden eyes glowing as the cats around him cheered his name. Eagle_paw. That's it. _"That is all." The she-cat mewed, sitting back down.

Goldenstar stood next, smiling softly at the Shadowclan leader and the new apprentice. "I congratulate you on your new apprentice, Mousestar. It is nice that your camp is doing well." He looked Eaglepaw, the dark brown apprentice gazing back at him. The Thunderclan leader's eyes shone a little, slowly opening his mouth to speak. "Thunderclan has also been doing well. We have three new warriors, Dragonflywing, Violetstream, and Voletail." He allowed the cats in the clearing to cheer the new warrior's names, despite only one being present. "Newtwhisper has moved to the nursery, expecting a litter of kits. We also have a new apprentice, Buzzardpaw."

Buzzardpaw felt himself shrink down as everycat in the clearing turned their attention to him, cheering his name as well. He looked down at his paws sheepishly, feeling slightly awkward. He gave a small nod in thanks to the crowd, earning a small chuckle from his father as he sat down. The Riverclan leader stood, beginning his part of the announcement.

Buzzardpaw barely listened to the gray tom speak, slightly distracted by Aspenpaw speaking to Goosepaw next to him. He jumped slightly as he felt a small tap on his back. Turning around, he came face to face with the new Shadowclan apprentice.

"Hello." The tom mewed, his voice smooth. He motioned with his tail for Buzzardpaw to move back to sit with him. The young apprentice complied, moving away from the others.

"I don't think we've formally met." The tom spoke, his golden optics piercing Buzzardpaw's. "I'm Eaglepaw."

"Buzzardpaw." The apprentice mewed, giving Eaglepaw a small nod. He felt comfortable with the Shadowclan tom, unlike with the others he was previously sitting with. He wrapped his tail around his black paws as he listened to the other apprentice speak.

"This is my first Gathering. Who are those cats?"

"That's Aspenpaw and Goosepaw. They're from Windclan, and I was worried they would talk my ears off. This is my first Gathering as well."

The Shadowclan apprentice snickered quietly. "I've heard that those rabbit-chasers can be quite talkative. And the other two?"

Buzzardpaw told Eaglepaw who they were, his nose wrinkling slightly. "Snakepaw and Spottedpaw. They're from Riverclan, and they both kept calling me big. I'm not sure if it was meant to be a compliment."

Eaglepaw grinned, looking Buzzardpaw up and down. "Well, they aren't wrong. You could be bigger than a dog!"

Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. "Stop exaggerating. Besides, you're pretty large yourself." It was true. Though Eaglepaw wasn't as tall as Buzzardpaw, the Shadowclan apprentice was still quite large, easily towering over the other apprentices.

Eaglepaw opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off before he could speak. The Riverclan leader was standing on his branch, his head lifted to the sky in a dramatic pose. His husky voice rang throughout the clearing, "You may continue to speak for a little while longer. Then, Riverclan will be taking their leave!" The gray tom then flipped off of his branch, landing awkwardly on a crooked root below him. All of the medicine cats rushed to him in concern. Eaglepaw snickered quietly.

"A bit dramatic, eh?" He mewed, an amused expression playing on his face.

"Hey, who are you calling dramatic?" Came a familiar voice, belonging to Spottedpaw. The brown and white speckled tom had padded over to the two and overheard Eaglepaw's comment.

The Shadowclan apprentice gave an amused twitch of his whiskers, answering the Riverclan cat. "Your mouse brained leader. After seeing that stunt he just pulled, I'm not sure how he isn't dead yet."

"Listen here, you snake-heart," Spottedpaw snarled, padding closer to Eaglepaw. "I don't know how you do it in Shadowclan, but in Riverclan, we don't insult leaders. I suggest you shut your trap before you get yourself into trouble."

Eaglepaw gave Spottedpaw a sly smirk, standing to his paws. The Shadowclan tom easily towered over him, his thick pelt ruffling against the growing wind. "What if I don't, fish-breath?"

Spottedpaw's pupils narrowed to slits, his mouth opening for a stinging retort. Before he could get out however, he was interrupted by the voice of Goldenstar and Mousestar. The Thunderclan and Shadowclan leaders looked onto the scene, their eyes flashing in confusion. "What's going on here?" Mousestar mewed, her voice calm.

Eaglepaw spoke before Spottedpaw could say anything. "Nothing, mother. I was just getting to know the other apprentices." _Wait, _mother_? _Observing the two in front of him, Buzzardpaw could see the resemblance, with Eaglepaw sharing her feather-like tail and white chest. He looked to his father, who chuckled as he watched the two speak.

Seemingly noticing him looking, Goldenstar met his gaze, giving his son a big smile. "How was your first Gathering, Buzzardpaw?"

"It's definitely interesting, that's for sure." He glanced at Spottedpaw, who had stalked away to join his leader by the Gathering entrance. It seemed like the gray tom was alright after his tumble, and was leading his clan off of the island.

Goldenstar chuckled, batting his son over the head. "You didn't get into any trouble, did you?" The apprentice shook his head no, making Goldenstar hum in approval. "That's my boy. Are you ready to head back?"

Buzzardpaw glanced at Eaglepaw, who was swiping his paw over his ears as he spoke with his mother. The Shadowclan apprentice opened his eyes to meet his gaze, golden piercing golden. Buzzardpaw a sudden tug in his chest, his breath quickening slightly. "Yes, I'm ready."

Goldenstar looked slightly concerned, but did not question it. "Alright. Thunderclan, gather! We're heading back now." Buzzardpaw followed behind his father back to the Thunderclan camp, his mind jumbling. The apprentice sighed as he fell into his soft nest, his eyes closing immediately as he fell asleep.

Buzzardpaw opened his eyes to an unfamiliar setting. Dark, crooked trees with twisted branches surrounded him, blocking out all light from the moon. Lifting his paws, the tom narrowed his eyes as they squelched against the damp ground. His whiskers twitching, he picked up the sound of a faint, echoey voice.

"Greetings, Buzzardpaw. Welcome to the Place of No Stars."

* * *

Author's Note:

**Hey there everyone, MeltingPopsicles here. Hopefully you're all enjoying the first part of my Warrior Cats fanfiction, Darkened Secrets. I'm not exactly sure how long the story may be, (maybe around 25 - 30 chapters) but I've really thought the plot out, and I hope that you all will enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.**

**As for an uploading schedule, I'm not completely sure how that is going to work out. Currently, I'm on a week's break from school, (hence the multiple chapter updates) but I go back on Monday, so all of that will change. I am planning on posting at least one chapter by the end of every week, (lets say the end of every week is Friday) meaning that I could be posting on random days leading up to that day. Feel free to follow the story so you can get notified of every update, and I hope you all enjoy my book! :)**


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A dirty white she-cat padded from the dark branches of a massive tree, her dark amber eyes flashing as she observed the brown apprentice before her. She circled around Buzzardpaw, whisking her tail under his chin as she spoke. "You've grown. Oh, don't tell me you've forgotten my name already. It's only been a moon and a half."

Buzzardpaw watched as she circled him, his eyebrows furrowing in remembrance. _Darkenedstreak! But she said she would only meet me again if I found the second cat._

As if she could read his thoughts, Darkenedstreak stopped in front of him, a small smirk on her face. "I'm sure you remember why you're here, yes?"

"I've found the second cat?"

She nodded her head. "Correct. Congratulations." Her mew was slightly sarcastic, her tail tip twitching behind her.

Buzzardpaw stood to his paws, his eyes wide. "Who is it then? Can I receive my prophecy now?"

Instead of answering, Darkenedstreak stood and padded deeper into the dark forest, her tail whisking as an instruction to follow. The young brown apprentice treaded behind her carefully, making sure not to trip over the thick roots digging through the soggy earth. Soon, the two came to a larger clearing, a large rock in its center. Surrounding the outskirts of the clearing, shadowy figures lurked ominously. Darkenedstreak seemed nonchalant about this, leaping onto the great rock in front of them. As if they were summoned, cats slowly began to emerge from the shadows.

The cats came in all shapes and sizes, many of them covered in scars and bruises. BUzzardpaw noticed that some of them had fresh wounds, bright red blood oozing from the opened flesh. Wincing slightly, the tom observed the growing number of cats around them noting that some of them had the same fuzzy, black dust sparking from their pelts like Darkenedstreak did, while others didn't. Peering at the cats across from him, Buzzardpaw blinked his eyes a few times in shock.

_Is that, _Dragonflywing_? _It was unmistakable. The black and white tom had his attention focused on Darkenedstreak, who had taken her seat on the gray stone. Shifting slightly, the Thunderclan warrior shifted his gaze onto Buzzardpaw, his multi colored eyes dimming with an unreadable expression. Gulping quietly, Buzzardpaw looked away from him, his golden eyes lading on a fox colored warrior not too far from the other. _Foxgrowl? He's here too?_

The apprentice was shaken from his thoughts by Darkenedstreak's sudden yowl. "Could you scoundrels move any faster?" The she-cat meowed, "By the time you all gather, I'll be faded already!"

"That's enough, Darkenedstreak." Mewed a tom's voice. "Many cats were training, they cannot stop whenever you want to have a pointless chit-cat." A massive gray tabby tom shouldered his way through the clearing, his heavily scarred jaw moving awkwardly as he spoke. Buzzardpaw's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the tom leap onto the rock. _He looks familiar._

Taking his position next to Darkenedstreak, the white she-cat hissed. "Oh, how nice of you to grace us with your presence, Viperhiss." _That's his name! He's Eaglepaw's mentor. _"I was just about to introduce our newest apprentice." Her eyes fell onto Buzzardpaw, prompting every cat in the clearing to turn and look at him.

The brown tom's eyes narrowed in confusion. _Apprentice? Is that why I'm here? _Glancing at the cats around him, Buzzardpaw looked back to Darkenedstreak, who was still speaking. "He's the cat from the prophecy. Where's the other one, by the way? I didn't see him."

Viperhiss spoke, his eyes still focused on Buzzardpaw. "He couldn't be here tonight, unfortunately." A thin string of drool dripped from the Shadowclan warrior's jaw, splattering onto the cold stone he was sitting on. He stood, his shredded ears twitching. "Greetings, Buzzardpaw."

Buzzardpaw mewed a quiet hello, still uneasy about the cats staring at him. He cleared his throat, speaking loudly. "Why am I here exactly? And what do all of these cats have to do with _my _prophecy?"

The gray tom chuckled quietly, the sound scratchy and harsh. "You'll learn with time. As I'm sure you have been told, there is a second cat within your prophecy, who is not here. There is no point in revealing the prophecy when he isn't present, so we shall wait until he arrives." Buzzardpaw was barely listening, looking at a shadowy figure that was glaring at him. The cat was barely distinguishable from the forest background, their dark blue eyes being the only visible part of their face. A chill running down his spine, Buzzardpaw turned to Viperhiss, who was staring at him intensely. _Oh no! What was he saying again?_

"Alright, you sorry lot, you've heard him! I expect you all to give our new apprentice a warm welcome and treat him with respect," Darkenedshade was speaking, leaning her head over the edge of the rock, "He's special, and should be treated as such. If any of you fox heart even think about harming him, I'll flay your pelt off of your skin and use it as bait for dogs. Understood?" A small murmur of 'yeahs' and 'whatevers' rang through the crowd, the cats slowly standing and beginning to disperse. Giving a satisfied nod, Darkenedstreak leapt down from the rock and padded towards BUzzardpaw, Viperhiss behind her. The brown apprentice looked past them, his eyes focused on the cat a distance away.

Dragonflywing was staring at Buzzardpaw Paw in tinsley, his legs stiff as he glared at the apprentice. _Why is he looking at me like that?_ Buzzardpaw stared back at him, unease prickling his pelt. Foxgrowl whispered something in the black and white tom's ear, making the warrior give Buzzard one more disdainful look before stalking away into the shadows. Buzzardpaw shook his head, turning his attention to the two cats in front of him.

"I look forward to observing your training," Viperhiss started, his amber eyes looking down at the smaller tom. "I expect exceptional work from Goldenstar's son."

"Yes," Darkenedstreak mewed, a small smile on her face, "Training under me, and having such powerful blood flowing through his veins, the prophecy will be fulfilled in no time."

"You know my father?" Buzzardpaw asked, tilting his head.

Darkenedstreak purred quietly. ""Of course, who doesn't? Your father is a legend, he has done many heroic things for the clans. Haven't you heard the tales?"

The young apprentice shook his head no, earning a small eye roll from Viperhiss. "That Goldenstar, he's too humble to boast. Though, I'm surprised you haven't heard about any of his deeds."

Darkenedstreak nodded, her amber eyes flashing. "Yes, like how he organized the clans and brought them to victory against the massive badger attack, or how he saved the Windclan leader from death by taking her and her clan in after they suffered a terrible plague, or even how he had rebuilt the Thunderclan camp after horrible fire in just one moon." The she-cat spoke quickly and admirously, her tail whisking as she told the great stories about the Thunderclan leader. "It sickens me how good he is. But I can't bring myself to hate him or his virtuous ways. Something about him warms my cold heart."

Viperhiss chuckled, glancing at the white she-cat, who had her head lifted in deep thought as she rambled. He turned his attention back to Buzzardpaw. "Yes, your father is an extraordinary cat. Darkenstreak rarely compliments anycat, that's how you know he is truly something special." He stopped for a second, gazing into the apprentice's eyes. "And being his son, his legacy will surely follow."

Buzzardpaw's eyes were wide as he listened to the two cats. _My father was, wait no, _is _a hero! _His chest puffed with pride. He had known that his father did a lot for the clans, but hearing it from these two made him even prouder to share blood with the great tom.

Quieting down, Viperhiss looked at Darkendshade, who was looking at her paws. "While it was nice catching up with you, Darkenedstreak, I have an apprentice to train." The big tom stood, padding away from the two. Stopping, he turned his head to Buzzardpaw. "Oh, and once again, welcome, young Buzzardpaw. I will do everything in my power to ensure that you fulfill your prophecy." With that, the Shadowclan warrior continued forward, finally disappearing deep into the shadows of the forest.

Darkenedstreak watched the tom leave, slowly turning her attention to Buzzardpaw. "That Viperhiss, he sure is something. He's gained a lot of respect here, being one of the mightiest warriors we've ever seen. Why, he could even be greater than your father."

"Has my father ever been… down here?"

Darkenedstreak scoffed, fluffing out her pelt. "Oh, heavens no. Your father is too much of a goody two shoes to ever affliate with us." _Goodie… two shoes? What are shoes? _"Why, he's practically Starclan's champion. I just give credit where it is due."

Looking around, Buzzardpaw saw a pair of dark green eyes staring at him from the dark undergrowth across the clearing. Squinting, he was unable to make out who the cat could be. _Why does everyone keep looking at me so strangely? _The tom was shaken from his thoughts as Darkenedstreak spoke again.

"As much as I'd like to keep chatting with you, I'm afraid you must be going now. Our training starts tomorrow, with the other chosen one."

"Training? What-" Before the apprentice could finish his question, he opened his eyes to find himself in the apprentice's den. Weak dawn light filtered between the cracks of the bramble entrance, giving the tom's pelt a faint glow. Sighing, Buzzardpaw stood sleepily, awaiting his daily chores.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Buzzardpaw sat outside of the apprentice's den, a small scowl on his face. He had just finished removing ticks from the elders, and the tangy smell of mouse bile clung to his fur tightly. He struggled to fight the urge to wash himself, knowing he would regret it as soon as he tasted the disgusting paste. Looking up from his paws, he spotted Thistlepounce, who was staring at him from across the camp.

Narrowing his eyes at the warrior, Buzzardpaw stared back. _Why is he always looking at me like that? _The apprentice had caught Thistlepounce looking at him often, his dark amber eyes always pensive and somewhat foreboding. Furrowing his eyebrows, Buzzardpaw opened his jaws to shout at the warrior, but was cut off by a sudden yank on his tail.

"Gah!" The apprentice yelped, whipping his head around to see the attacker. Dragonwing's blue and yellow eyes twinkled back at him, his eyes narrowed. "Come here, and make sure no one follows you." The warrior hissed in a low voice, stalking behind the apprentice's den. Buzzardpaw glanced around him, his eyes landing on Thistlepounce, who was still gazing at him. Giving a shrug of his shoulders, Buzzardpaw followed the black and white warrior, wondering what he wanted.

The two padded to a small clearing just outside the camp. Buzzardpaw treaded lightly, wary of Dragonwing and his urgency. Seemingly satisfied with the location, Dragonwing sat down across from Buzzardpaw, his whiskers twitching.

"What do you want?" The apprentice mewed, observing the warrior before him. He sat down as well, wrapping his tail around his paws.

"You were there last night," Dragonwing started, his voice quiet as he regarded the brown tom, "The Dark Forest. Is Darkenedstreak your mentor?"

Buzzardpaw nodded, confused. He had remembered Dragonwing being present during the dream, but he thought it was just that, a dream. Something he imagined. He didn't know the warrior was actually there!

Growing quiet for a second, the black and white tom spoke again. "Darkenedstreak is a respected warrior of the Dark Forest. She's a very high rank, which makes me wonder why _you _received her as your mentor." He stood, circling around Buzzardpaw.

"I'm a part of a prophecy. That's why I go there." He mewed, slowly turning his head to watch the tom walk around him.

Dragonwing clicked his tongue, his tail tapping Buzzardpaw's head. "Yes, you're one of the _special _ones. Still, I wonder why someone like _you_ was picked over _me_."

Wanting to ask what he meant, Buzzardpaw instead asked another question. "Wait, so why do you go there then?"

The black and white tom froze, whipping his head to Buzzardpaw. "I go there to become strong, to become powerful. Something big is coming, Buzzard_kit_, something you could never imagine. I'll show Darkenedstreak she made a mistake picking you over me." With that, Dragonwing stalked back to camp, roughly bumping into Buzzardpaw's shoulder as he passed him. The brown apprentice was stunned into silence, looking down at his paws. _Something big? Picked me over him? What is he on about? _Shaking his head, the young apprentice padded back to camp, looking around the clearing.

His father was sharing tongues with Fawnleap under the High Ledge, and Thistlepounce was… sitting in the same exact place as before, his eyes still focused on Buzzardpaw. He felt a chill prickle down his spine. _There is something seriously wrong with that cat. _His mother and father stood, padding over to Buzzardpaw. Thistlepounce's eyes narrowed as he saw this, standing to his paws and retreating to the warriors den. The sun was beginning to set, filling the camp with a dull orange glow. Buzzardpaw looked to his father, who was standing over him with a smile on his face.

"Hello, son. How was tending to the elders?" He smirked slyly as he said this, his eyes flashing playfully.

Buzzardpaw wrinkled his nose at the memory, the thick slop still staining his paws slightly. "Gross. Mouse bile is disgusting!"

His father chuckled, sighing. "Ah, I remember those days. Don't you, Fawnleap?"

The she-cat did not respond, a faraway look on her face. Her eyes were unfocused, making Buzzardpaw furrow his eyebrows in concern. Goldenstar gave her a slight nudge, seemingly snapping her back to reality. She gave her son a weak smile, her whiskers twitching. "What? Ah yes, those were the days."

"Are you okay, mama?" Buzzardpaw asked, sniffing at her pelt. She didn't smell sick, but maybe it was something else. Fawnleap stared off into space again, prompting Goldenstar to speak for her, his gaze showing concern as well.

"She isn't feeling too well. She ate a bad piece of freshkill earlier, so I was spending time with her." Just as he said this, the dusk patrol returned, Cherrystrike, Foxgrowl, Doeskip and Russetprowl pushing through the bramble barrier. Buzzardpaw's mentor trotted up to him, a small smile on his face.

"How were the elders?" Buzzardpaw gave a scowl in response. The tom nodded, his tail swishing behind him. "I'm sorry kiddo, I was bogged down with patrols today. I promise that we'll train tomorrow." With that, the tom trotted away, grabbing pieces of prey from the fresh kill pile. Buzzardpaw turned back to his parents, who were speaking in hushed mews. When they noticed he was listening, they looked at him, their eyes glinting. Goldenstar opened his mouth to speak.

"You should get some sleep on. Me and your mother will be going out to get some fresh air." He stood, slowly followed by Fawnleap, who was still gazing at Buzzardpaw. The brown apprentice touched his nose to hers, turning to the apprentice's den. "Get well soon."

Buzzardpaw watched them leave from the den, his whiskers twitching. The two walked with about a tail length of space between them, their legs stiff as they exited. Shrugging, Buzzardpaw laid in his nest closing his eyes to sleep.

Except he couldn't sleep. Hushed voices were speaking outside of his den, keeping the apprentice awake. He could barely make out what they were saying, or who they belonged to.

"...time...ready...holding...back…" One of the voices said, their mew low and urgent.

"...not...ready...with...time…" The other voice hissed in retort. Slightly annoyed, Buzzardpaw stalked out of his den, wondering who could be awake at that time of night. There weren't any cats in the clearing, the moon bathing the camp with a pale blue glow. Still, Buzzardpaw could hear the voices, and quickly realized that they were coming from behind the apprentice's den. Puzzled, the brown tom padded through the forest quietly, finding himself at the clearing he had spoke with Dragonflywing in earlier.

In the middle of the clearing, two figures were speaking, their postures showing that the conversation wasn't a good one. Stalking behind a nearby bush, Buzzardpaw was able to get a better look at who they were. _Goldenstar and Fawnleap! _His parents were glaring at each other, their hackles raised as they hissed.

"I'm starting to think that you still haven't gotten over that." His father was mewing, his voice deep.

Fawnleap lifted one of her paws from the ground, seemingly hurt. "I forgave you a long time ago Goldenstar. But this has gone on long enough, and it's time for you to tell him. He deserves to know the truth!"

Goldenstar glared at Fawnleap, his eyes fierce and intense. "I will tell him when I feel that he's ready."

"But he is ready!" Buzzard's mother mewed, stepping towards the Thunderclan leader. Her chest heaved as she hissed at her mate. "What more do you want from him? How much longer will you keep this from him?"

"I said I would tell him when I'm ready!" Goldenstar yowled at her, stepping closer as well. The two cats were nose-to-nose now, their tails lashing angrily behind them. Buzzardpaw's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What were they so angry about?

Fawnleap glared into Goldenstar's eyes, rising to her tiptoes to fully face him. "How is he supposed to do his part if you wont even-"

Goldenstar cut her off, his eyebrows narrowing. "He will do his part just fine under _my _guidance. I think you're starting to forget your place, _she-cat_." The dark brown tom's hiss was laced with malice as he spat at Fawnleap. "You've done your part. Now let us do ours."

Her pupils narrowing to slits, Fawnleap yowled and lashed at Goldenstar's face, her claws slicing down the bridge of his muzzle. A thin trickle of blood welled from the wound, making Goldenstar growl in response. Buzzardpaw flinched at the sudden attack, his ears flattening to his head. _Are they going to fight?_

Goldenstar glared at Fawnleap, his pelt bristling angrily. The massive tom almost looked to be the size of a monster, his golden eyes staring down the tiny she-catt before him. Bunching his muscles, Buzzardpaw prepared to leap between them, but stopped when his father sighed and flattened his pelt. Wiping the blood from his muzzle with his paw, the tom regarded Fawnleap coolly, who was still hissing angrily at him.

"I hate when we fight, Fawnleap. Can we please talk about this later?"

"No, we talk about it right now! My s-" She was cut off by Goldenstar raising his tail, silencing her.

"It wasn't a request. It was an order." He mewed coldly, turning away from her and padding towards the camp entrance. Luckily, this wasn't near the bush Buzzardpaw was hiding behind, meaning that he had gone undetected. Once his parents were out of sight, Buzzardpaw gave a long, exasperated sigh. _What in Starclan's name did I just witness?_

Sneaking back to his nest, the apprentice stared through the den's entrance, his mind racing. His parents were angry with each other about something, but what? _Fawnleap wanted him to tell somecat something… But what could be that important? _Buzzardpaw thought back to how menacing his father had looked as he hissed at his mother, and how angry she had looked. He had never seen them so furious before, and it unnerved him greatly. _They were just fine earlier! What could have made them fight like that?_

Too tired to think anymore, the brown apprentice closed his eyes, immediately falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

Buzzardpaw woke up in the familiar dark forest, his eyes adjusting to the black woodland that surrounded him. No cats were around, but he could hear a commotion a ways away. Following the sound, Buzzardpaw found himself in the clearing from the previous night, Darkendstreak sitting on the massive rock along with Viperhiss. Their attention was focused on something in front of them, which Buzzardpaw couldn't see due to the large throng of cats blocking his vision. Suddenly, the black she-cat next to him turned to him, her eyes widening. "He's here!"

Darkenedstreak turned her attention to Buzzardpaw, her eyes lighting up as he saw him. "The second cat has arrived!" She meowed, leaping down to greet him. A few of the other cats turned to see, while the others continued to watch whatever was going on in front of the rock.

"He's late." Mewed a familiar voice. Buzzardpaw turned to it, coming face to face with Dragonflywing. The lanky tom scowled at the apprentice, his lips curled back slightly.

"Nevermind that, he's here now." Darkenedstreak meowed, leading Buzzardpaw closer to the rock with her tail. "Come come, you will meet the other cat from the prophecy now." The two leapt onto the large rock, earning a loud hiss from Dragonflywing.

Coming to the edge of the rock, Buzzardpaw's eyes widened at what he was seeing. Two cats were fighting savagely in front of the rock, the large group of cats circled around them. Fur and blood rose in the air as the two battled, their pelts sleek from rolling on the soggy ground. Sitting down next to Viperhiss, who had acknowledged him with a small nod, Buzzardpaw observed the two cats more closely.

One of the cats was a muscular gray and white tom with a skinny, shredded tail. He hissed viciously as the large dark tabby tom he was fighting pinned him, his chest heaving as he dug his claws into his opponents chest. Buzzardpaw saw a glimpse of white on his belly.

"That's enough!" Viperhiss yowled, standing to his paws. "This cat has proven that they are worthy of joining us, and they are one of true cats from the prophecy." At his words, the dark brown tom stepped off of the gray one, sneering as he did so. Chest heaving, the muscular tom shook his pelt, flinging drops of blood and clumps of the other tom's fur from his pelt. The victorious cat lifted his head, his golden eyes flashing as his gaze fell on Buzzardpaw. _Eagle__paw!_

Author's Note:

**Hello again, Melting Popsicles here. This will be the last chapter I post for this week, meaning that I should have a new one up by next Friday. I'll try to make it long to make up for the wait.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Buzzardpaw watched as the brown apprentice leapt onto the rock to sit beside Darkenedstreak, his chest heaving and pelt slicked with blood. A small cut was on his left brow, a trickle of blood flowing down his face and onto his eyelid. Still, Eaglepaw's eyes shone with pride, and he gave Buzzardpaw a small nod in acknowledgement. "Hello, Buzzardpaw."

Stunned, Buzzardpaw couldn't answer, his tongue thick in his mouth. He glanced at Darkenedstreak who was smiling warmly at the two, her amber eyes glowing. Finally finding his voice, Buzzardpaw was able to squeak, "Y-You're the second cat?"

Eaglepaw nodded, idly swiping his paw over his cut. "Mhm. What, you dont think I'm capable?"

"That's not it at all." Buzzardpaw murmured, staring at the other apprentice. _He's the second cat! Is that why I got that funny feeling at the Gathering?_

He was disrupted from his thoughts by Darkenedstreak's voice, who had placed her tail on his shoulder. "Yes, we have chosen well. You two are the cats chosen for the prophecy, and you two will be the ones to lead the clans to greatness." She turned her attention back to the crowd of cats, their eyes twinkling as they listened. Viperhiss sat beside her, a solemn look on his face as he listened. _He must be proud of his apprentice. _"As the leader of the Dark Forest," Darkenedstreak continued, "I will be the cat that issues the prophecy." She padded to the very edge of the stone, standing tall and proud. Her voice seemed to echo throughout the forest as she chanted:

"**Before there is peace, four will-**"

"WAIT!" A voice called from the crowd, stopping the she-cat. She stared into the throng of cats menacingly, her tail lashing angrily.

"Who dares interrupt me?"

"I do." A stocky brown and white tom thrusted through the mass of cats, pushing his way to the front of the rock. His dark emerald eyes shone defiantly as he looked at the she-cat above him. The cat was very familiar.

"Who do you think you are, maggot? You're disrupting the fate of the clans." Viperhiss growled, standing to his paws as he glared at the tom. The tom shook slightly under the powerful Shadowclan warrior's gaze, but kept his head lifted proudly.

"I am Spottedpaw of Riverclan." _Spottedpaw! The tom from the Gathering! _"And I wish to challenge Buzzardpaw."

"Challenge? Ha!" Darkenedstreak scoffed, leaping down to stare the apprentice in the eyes. He cowered back slightly, but kept his paws rooted in place. "And what makes you think you are worthy of such an act, hm? This cat holds a power that you could never even fathom to possess."

"And that's why I feel that we should test it." Spottedpaw's voice shook slightly, but he kept his head lifted, "Eaglepaw had to fight Birchwing to prove himself, and I think it is unfair that Buzzardpaw doesn't. Don't they both have equal parts in the prophecy?"

Buzzardpaw looked at the cats around him, shocked. Viperhiss's lip curled in annoyance at the apprentice, but his pelt was less bristled. Eaglepaw watched Spottedpaw, his golden eyes glittering in amusement as he flexed his claws. Darkenedstreak's tail had stopped lashing, and her previous angry expression was replaced with a more thoughtful one. The cats gathered around him leaned forward, their eyes glittering as they awaited the she-cat's decision. _Am I going to have to fight him?_

Staring into the apprentice's eyes for a moment, Darkenedstreak narrowed hers. "You have a fair point. Very well." She leapt back onto the rock, lifting her head to shout, "I will postpone the prophecy to make sure both cats are treated equally." She tapped Buzzard on his rump, indicating for him to leap down. The brown apprentice did so, his eyes wide in shock.

"Buzzardpaw has been challenged by Spottedpaw, and must prove himself to be worthy of the prophecy." Spottedpaw slowly circled Buzzardpaw, his tail lashing behind him. "May the best cat win."

Looking around him, Buzzardpaw stared at the faces of the cat's gathered, their eyes glittering hungrily at the thought of another fight. He caught Dragonflywing's gaze, who was staring at him with a small smirk on his face. _Why does he want to see me fight? _Shaking his head, the apprentice turned back to his challenger, who had his lips drawn back into a snarl.

"I've been waiting to sink my claws into your worthless pelt ever since you've disrespected me at the Gathering." _Disrespected you? I didn't even _say _anything to you! _Buzzardpaw wanted to snap back at the apprentice, but unsheathed his claws instead, getting into a low crouch. The two toms glared at each other, their pelts bristling as they waited.

"Begin!" Darkenedstreak yowled, watching the fight from above. At the sound of her voice, Buzzardpaw pounced at the other apprentice, his teeth bared.

Spottedpaw leapt away from his attack, raking his claws at the other apprentice's back. Buzzardpaw had dashed away however, only allowing the tom to snag a few hairs from his tail tip. Hissing, the Riverclan apprentice lunged at his opponent, slashing his claws down Buzzardpaw's face. Buzzardpaw hissed in pain, leaping back to regain composure.

The brown and white tom smirked, his tail lashing as he leapt again. Predicting the move, Buzzardpaw bolted away, sending the other tom crashing into the rock behind him. The impact made the apprentice fall to the ground, clearly winded. Buzzardpaw backed away, looking to Darkenedstreak to end the fight. He was disappointed when she didn't, instead hissing at him to continue. Looking back to his opponent, Buzzardpaw yowled in shock as he was crashed into, falling onto his back.

Spottedpaw sneered into his face, digging his claws into Buzzardpaw's chest. "Darkenedstreak really thinks you're the cat of the prophecy? Ha! You're weaker than a kit." Writhing under the heavy Riverclan cat, Buzzardpaw hissed in pain as Spottedpaw slashed at his ears, a drop of drool hanging from the brown and white tom's jaws. He looked at the cat's on the rock, their expressions dark. Darkenedstreak's eyes were wide as she looked on, but the she-cat did nothing to stop the fight. Viperhiss' expression was stern, his shoulders hunched as he watched the apprentices through slitted pupils. But worst of all, Eaglepaw stood at the edge of the rock, his golden eyes seemingly pleading with Buzzardpaw to continue on. _I can't give up! I have to prove myself!_

Unable to throw the muscular tom off him physically, Buzzardpaw gathered a wad of saliva in his mouth and spat it into Spottedpaw's eyes. The Riverclan apprentice hissed, lifting one of his paws to wipe the gunk away. Taking his chance, Buzzardpaw threw his opponent off, battering his ears and driving him backwards. Spottedpaw lunged at Buzzardpaw, his eyes livid, but Buzzard had predicted this and leapt aside, slashing his claws down the sleek tom's flank as he skidded past him. The brown and white tom hissed in pain, whipping around to face his opponent once more. But Buzzardpaw had dashed to his other side, delivering a heavy blow to his head. Spottedpaw shook his head from the attack, feebly raising his paws to counter strike. But he was too slow, and Buzzardpaw crashed into the apprentice's chest, pinning him down onto the soggy ground.

Spottedpaw scrabbled his hind paws strongly against Buzzardpaw's underbelly, but the Thunderclan apprentice held on, pushing him deeper into the forest floor. "Surrender!" Buzzardpaw growled, panting heavily.

"Never!" Spottedpaw hissed in defiance, his teeth bared angrily. His kicks grew stronger as he tried to dislodge his attacker, making Buzzardpaw hiss in pain. In response, Buzzardpaw placed his black paw onto the other apprentice's throat, applying pressure. "Surrender now!"

The Riverclan apprentice continued to glare at Buzzardpaw, his feet pummeling harder. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in a silent plea. _This cat is crazy! I don't want to keep fighting! _Still, the brown tom pressed his paw into the other's throat, Spottedpaw's pulse beating wildly underneath his pads. _Please Spottedpaw!_

The two tom's were nose to nose, emerald piercing golden, one full with worry, and the other filled with hatred. After what seemed like forever, Spottedpaw's attacks grew weaker and sloppier, his nose making a loud wheezing sound. "I surrender." The brown and white tom rasped, his voice barely audible. Relief washing over him like a wave, Buzzardpaw stepped off of the tom, allowing him to shakily rise to his paws. He looked up to the cat's above him, all three beaming down at the winner.

"Buzzardpaw has emerged victorious," Darkenedstreak's voice range out, her chest puffed with pride, "And has proven himself to be the cat in the prophecy!" Yowls of congratulations rang out around Buzzardpaw, the cats pressing around him closer. Glancing into the crowd, he spotted Dragonflywing, who had an angry expression on his face. Catching Buzzardpaw's eye, the black and white tom let out a loud huff, stalking away into the forest. _What's his problem? I won! I did it for Thunderclan!_

He was shaken from his thoughts as Spottedpaw let out a loud cough next to him, his paws wobbling as he struggled to stand. Buzzardpaw leaned over to help, but was met with a loud hiss in response. Spottedpaw glared at him, his eyes glinting with malice and hatred. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead was stopped by a violent coughing fit. Finally, the brown and white tom was able to choke out, "This isn't over." He slowly tottered away deeper into the throng of cats, leaving Buzzardpaw in the circular space alone. Darkenedstreak smiled down at him, waving with her tail for him to join her on the rock again. He did so, standing next to Eaglepaw, who gave him a good natured nudge with his shoulder. Looking down, Buzzardpaw glanced in the direction where Dragonflywing was sitting, noticing that the Thunderclan warrior wasn't there. Instead, a striking white she-cat sat in his place, her icy blue eyes staring at Buzzardpaw intensely. Buzzardpaw stared back, mesmerized. He was snapped back to reality by his mentor's voice.

"Now that the disruption is over," Darkenedstreak started, her voice annoyed, "I will now deliver the chosen cats their prophecy." She turned around to Buzzardpaw and Eaglepaw, her posture strong and dignified. She opened her mouth to speak, her eyes glowing an eerie white:

"**Before there is peace, four will become one, and the raptor's prickly talons will be the only sanctuary against the sun's unrelenting golden rays.**"

The words seemed to echo around the clearing, the cats below becoming deathly silent as the she-cat spoke. Buzzardpaw felt his paws tingle with every word, and he noticed that the hairs along his spine had raised visibly. He glanced at Eaglepaw, who seemed to be experiencing the same effect, his golden eyes wide and his tail sticking out stiffly behind him. Buzzardpaw felt a sudden pressure on his chest, as if an unseen cat were digging their claws into his heart. Hissing in pain, the apprentice dropped to the ground, his eyes tightly shut. He felt a massive weight pushing him into the damp earth, which slowly became cold and solid. As quick as the feeling started, it was gone, and Buzzardpaw weakly opened his eyes.

* * *

He was shocked to be in a new location. Everything around him was pitch black, and the soggy forest ground had instead faded into a smooth stone. Opening his mouth to speak, Buzzardpaw felt that same pressure on his lungs, preventing him from even letting out a whimper. A bright light appeared before him, causing him to squint his eyes against its brilliance. Once the light had died down, Buzzardpaw slowly opened his eyes, a small white shape floating in front of him. Wrinkling his nose in confusion, he slowly stepped closer to it, causing it to jerk back. _What the…_

He stepped closer, prompting the shape to move back again. He leapt at it, making it leap back as well and making him tumble to the ground. _Am I supposed to follow it? _Rising to his paws, Buzzardpaw gave the shape a determined glare, then bounded after it, full speed. The shape always stayed the same distance away, but the black space slowly began to change into vivid scenery around the apprentice. He suddenly ran into a solid object, knocking the wind out of him.

Opening his eyes, Buzzardpaw was confused to see no obstacle in front of him. He poked one of his paws outwards, touching an invisible solid surface. The white shape was nowhere to be found, and Buzzardpaw found himself in a lush green forest.

Quiet, jumbled whispers rang in Buzzardpaw's ears, belonging to invisible cats that surrounded him. The whispers then began quiet, replaced by a deafening screech that made the apprentice cower to the ground. The sound of cats battling filled the formerly peaceful forest, staining the ground a dull rusty color. The horrible sound suddenly stopped, and the forest returned to its quiet calmness.

Three silhouettes of cats appeared on a hill in the distance. Buzzardpaw opened his mouth to call out to them, but found that he was still unable to speak. The three silhouettes stood powerfully, a golden aura seeming radiating around them. The white shape from before suddenly appeared in Buzzardpaw's face, startling him. He reached out to touch it, his paw covered by an odd coolness as he did. The prophecy rang in Buzzardpaw's ears again, this time spoken by a deep, unfamiliar voice.

"**Before there is peace, four will become one," **The voice spoke, echoing quietly. The white light changed shape, four small protrusions jutting out from its sides. They then receded into the light's center, leaving a small floating circle. The circle looked weak and delicate, looking as though a slight breeze could break it apart.

"**and the raptor's prickly talons," **The voice continued, the speaker sounding closer now. Buzzardpaw looked at the cats on the hill, noticing they were moving. Two of the figures faced each other, seemingly in an argument, their hackles raised. The other figure looked on quietly, a thick red fluid flowing from underneath its paws. The two arguing cats then parted ways, one looking upset, the other looking angry. Suddenly, the sadder looking cat began to contort violently, falling to a lifeless husk on the ground. A strong, powerful bird emerging from the cat's body, it's piercing golden eyes sending a chill down Buzzardpaw's spine. The bird soared up high, filling the tom with a light-headed feeling. The mighty avian flew in front of the seated third cat, who had their head hanging down.

"**will be the only sanctuary against the sun's unrelenting golden rays.**" The voice finished, the ground shaking violently at each word. The third cat suddenly opened its eyes, bright golden beams bursting from them. The soaring bird screeched painfully as it struggled against the blinding light, it's wings twisting and its body jerking violently. The bird plummeted to the ground, it's talons twitching weakly as it was disintegrated by the extremely bright rays of light. Buzzardpaw felt an excruciating pain in his chest, making him cry out. The cat the bird emerged from weakly faced the third cat, much smaller and pathetic than it was originally. The cat with the light beams was about the size of a monster, and the bird cat was as small as a mouse. The beam cat reluctantly opened their eyes once more, but instead of bright beams emerging from them, a pitch blackness shot out instead, engulfing the forest scenery. Buzzardpaw felt the ground beneath him disappear, sending him falling into an endless abyss.

"Be wise, young Buzzardpaw." The disembodied voice boomed, seeming far away now, "Great troubles are coming, and the fate of the clans rests in your paws."

* * *

**Author's note: (IMPORTANT)**

**Hey there, MeltingPopscicles here. Here's the newest chapter to Darkest Secrets. It is important for me to note that I have changed Hawkpaw's name to Eaglepaw, as I feel that the prefix Eagle is more suitable to his later development. (also I didn't want him to feel like a Hawkfrost clone :P) I should also note that I should be able to get another chapter up this week to make up for my disappearance.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Buzzardpaw jolted awake from his dream, his eyes immediately blinded by the bright sun shining through the cracks of the apprentices' den. Still spooked from the vivid vision, the tom cowered to the darkest corner of the den, his tail wrapped around him tightly. _That dream, no, the prophecy, it was so real! _Shaking his head, Buzzardpaw suddenly felt the sharp sting of pain on his face. Narrowing his eyes, he brought his paw up to his head, shocked to feel four shallow gashes that stung as he touched them. _That's where Spottedpaw scratched me… But why are the scratches still here? _Wincing in pain, the apprentice slowly rose, padding out of the apprentice's den.

The camp was surprisingly busy, many cats padding in and out of the bramble entrance or lingering on the edges of camp. Lifting his head, BUzzardpaw noted the position of the sun, its bright shine making him squint. _It's almost sunhigh! Why didn't Russetprowl wake me up? He promised that we would train today! _Buzzardpaw looked around the camp for his mentor, unable to find him.

"Buzzardpaw!" He heard a cat call his name, slightly disheartened to see that it was his father, not his mentor. He lowered his head, not wanting him to see the scratches on his face.

"It's about time you've woken up sleepy head. You've just missed Russetprowl." Goldenstar mewed, standing in front of his son. Buzzardpaw continued to stare at his paws, mumbling a small yeah in response. He glanced up at his father, a worried look on the strong tom's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Buzzardpaw mewed, raising his voice so his father would believe him. To his dismay, Goldenstar gently lifted the apprentice's head with his tail tip, making him meet his gaze. Goldenstar's warm expression immediately became worried, his mew quiet.

"Oh boy, you look exhausted. Did you not get any sleep last night? And…" Goldenstar peered closer at Buzzardpaw's face, his eyes widening slightly, "What are these scratches?"

_Oh no! He's noticed. Come on, Buzzardpaw, think think… _"It was… a thorn! There was a thorn in my nest." He blurted, hoping Goldenstar would accept it. The leader's expression remained the same, clearly not convinced.

You sure? Those marks are awfully peculiar. They look like cat claw marks!" _He's not buying it!_

Buzzardpaw nodded forcefully, trying to make his face seem believable. "I swear! I threw it out once I found it."

Goldenstar gave his son another long look, then sighed, nodding himself. "Alright, I believe you. There is something I want to talk to you about however. Come." With that, the massive tom rose to his paws and headed to his den, Buzzardpaw closely behind.

Buzzardpaw pushed his way into the large den, which immediately seemed cramped as the two toms sat. Goldenstar chuckled good naturedly, batting his son over the head. "Heh, you get any larger, you won't be able to fit in here at all!" The tom's expression then became serious, making Buzzardpaw's smile slowly fade.

"Buzzardpaw... " Goldenstar started, looking the apprentice in the eyes, "I know you heard me arguing with your mother last night." _Oh yeah! I had completely forgotten about that! _Buzzardpaw remembered how angry his parents looked as they hissed at one another, and how Fawnleap had struck at Goldensar. Looking at his father more closely, he noticed a small scratch on the bridge of his nose. _Ouch! Mom got him good._

Goldenstar continued, his voice low, "I don't want you to worry about us. She's just worried about you, and I am too." _So they were talking about me! But wait, why would they be worried? _As if he could read his thoughts, Goldenstar dipped his head, then continued on, "You're destined for great things Buzzardpaw. Before you were born, I was given a prophecy: "**Before there is peace, four will become one, and the raptor's prickly talons will be the only sanctuary against the sun's unrelenting golden rays.**" _Wait a minute! That's _my _prophecy! _

Buzzardpaw shot to his paws, his golden eyes glowing. "I know that prophecy! That's _my _prophecy!" He then went into a long explanation of the vivid dream he had, and how a strange light transforming light led to a cat changing into a giant bird that seemed to be weak against beams coming from another cat's eyes. Goldenstar listened to his story closely, nodding every once and awhile and his expression becoming thoughtful. When Buzzardpaw had finished, Goldenstar remained silent for a moment, then smiled warmly at him.

"I've always known you were destined for great things, from the moment I laid eyes on you." He affectionately licked Buzzardpaw between the ears, making the smaller tom smile slightly. "And you say there is another cat in this prophecy, yes?"

Buzzardpaw nodded eagerly. "Mhm. His name is Eaglepaw."

"Eaglepaw? The new ShadowClan apprentice?"

Buzzardpaw nodded once more. "Yeah! He's the second cat." He looked down at his paws, mumbling, "I've always had a funny feeling about him, and I guess that's why." Lifting his head to look back at his father, Buzzardpaw's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Goldenstar had perked visibly at the mention of the other apprentice, and when Buzzardpaw stated that he was the second cat, Goldenstar's lip twitched strangely, as if he were struggling to hold back a huge grin. "Dad? Are you alright?"

Seemingly snapped back to reality, Goldenstar shook his head, nodding. "Oh, I'm quite alright, quite alright indeed." The leader turned his gaze to his son, his eyes glowing brightly. "You mentioned another cat. Darkenedstreak is the one that gave you the prophecy, right? Who is that?"

Buzzardpaw fell quiet. He had left out his frequent dreams about the Dark Forest, and was reluctant to tell his father the truth. He shook his head. "Oh, no one."

Goldenstar's expression became stern. "Buzzardpaw, you know you can tell me anything right?" After a moment of silence, he repeated his question. "Who _is _Darkenedstreak?"

Giving in, Buzzardpaw sighed. "She's… my Dark Forest mentor, or so she calls herself. I haven't done any training with her or anything, I mean." Pausing, he decided to tell the full truth. "Before she could give me the prophecy, I had to prove myself in a fight. That's how I got these scratches." Goldenstar was silent, his eyes flashing. "But don't worry! I proved myself, and I can only get stronger from this point. That cat won't ever mess with me again!" He purposefully didn't mention Spottedpaw's name, not wanting his father to become angry.

Goldenstar remained quiet, an indecipherable look on his face. Buzzardpaw closed his eyes, expecting his father to ban him from ever returning to the place ever again. He was shocked when the tom insead nodded, humming quietly, "Though it _is _strange that you've received this prophecy from a Dark Forest cat, I assume it would do no harm for you to continue to go there. Just... please be safe. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt."

_Yes! He understands! _Buzzardpaw's eyes shone as he pressed his head into father's, purring. "Don't worry, I won't. Darkenedstreak is a high rank in the Dark Forest, she'll keep me safe."

Goldenstar nuzzled his son, giving him a swift lick over the ears. "I'm sure she will. And if she can't, don't worry. Your papa will beat up any cat that tries to mess with you." He winked, making Buzzardpaw roll his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but was instead cut off by a cat trying to enter the den. They were obviously unable to as the toms took up most of the space, deciding to just poke their head in. BUzzardpaw smiled at her. _Fawnleap!_

"Goldenstar I- Oh! I didn't know you were here Buzzardpaw." Her mew was soft as she recognized her son, and she smiled at him warmly. "So that's why I couldnt get in. You two are hogging all the space!" She batted at Buzzardpaw's head mischievously. He wiggled out of the den in response, stretching his legs. The sun was beginning to set, much to his surprise. _So much time has passed!_

Fawnleap purred at her son, watching him wiggle out of the tight den. Her purr was cut abruptly however, as she got a good look at his face. "Why, what in StarClan's name has happened to your face?"

Buzzardpaw stopped in his tracks. _Oh shoot! I forgot about that! _He knew that Fawnleap definitely wouldn't believe his thorn excuse. "I-I... um…"

"He was scuffling with Russetprowl earlier, and things had gotten a bit heated." Goldenstar interjected, winking at him.

"Scuffling? And they were using claws? Where is Russetprowl now? I have a few choice words for him."

"Don't worry, my love." Goldenstar mewed, "I already spoke with him." Fawnleap seemed to settled down at this. "Besides, if I had let you get to him first, Russetprowl would be in Starclan before I could intervene!" He joked.

Fawnleap purred, stretching her neck to nuzzle her mate. "He sure would. You're right, I sure would have taught him a lesson!" Goldenstar chuckled, wrapping his tail around hers. Buzzardpaw smiled. He was happy that they were not angry with each other anymore. He stepped aside, allowing them to pass by him. They both gave him a swift lick over the forehead, then padded out of camp, their tails still intertwined. Buzzardpaw leapt down from the ledge, making his way to the apprentice's den. He slowed down as he noticed a cat sitting by its entrance. Narrowing his eyes, ne quickly deciphered who it was. _Dragonflywing!_

The tom was sitting rigidly in front of the den, the white spots on his pelt glowing ominously in the pale moonlight. The warrior noticed Buzzardpaw immedieately, jumping to his paws and striding towards him stiffly. He halted directly in front of him, his discolored eyes twinkling menacingly.

"That was a cheap tactic, what you did back there." The tom growled quietly, standing nose to nose with the apprentice.

"What are you talking about?"

"Spitting in your opponent's eye? How pathetic." _He's talking about my fight with Spottedpaw! _"Why, I wish I were the one that challenged you. I would have flayed you and proved to Darkenedstreak that she's making a grave mistake."

"Darkenedstreak didn't choose the cats in the prophecy!" Buzzardpaw hissed quietly, his pelt bristling slightly. "She has no control over it!"

"Then I will enjoy myself watching you fail."

Buzzardpaw growled in frustration. "Why do you hate me so much, Dragonflywing? What have I done to you?" The black and white tom opened his mouth to hiss a stinging reply, but was instead cut off by a grunt from Russetprowl. The tom was standing a mouse length away from the two, a confused expression on his face.

"Am I interruptin' something?" The senior warrior mewed, stepping closer. _Oh no! How much did he hear? _Dragonflywing huffed in reply, stalking away, leaving Buzzardpaw alone with his mentor. The apprentice shook his head, earning a small nod from the red tom. "Oh, good. I 'pologize for not waking you earlier. I know I promised we would train today, but you were sleeping so soundly, I swear a lumberin' badger couldn't wake you! I decided to let ya have your rest."

Buzzardpaw forced a small smile on his face. "Thank you, Russetprowl."

"No problem. But I expect you to be up bright and early tomorrow. I requested that you be on dawn patrol. We'll train afterwards, ya hear?" Buzzardpaw nodded, smiling slightly at his mentor's accent. Though the tom seemed strict, his touch demeanor was merely a facade, and his relaxed nature and charming accent made him an extremely likeable cat. With that, the warrior turned away to the freshkill pile, promptly Buzzardpaw to pad into the apprentice's den. The brown tom curled up in his nest, but was unable to sleep, his mind buzzing with the day's events.

_Goldenstar was surprisingly… fine with me training in the Dark Forest. I know it makes sense for me to do it, seeing that that's where I received the prophecy, but I expected him to be a bit more opposed to it. Then again, dad's always been the laid back type. _He stared out of the den, seeing the camp's bramble entrance rustle. Fawnleap emerged, a thoughtful look on her face. _Where's Goldenstar? Didn't he go out with her? _Shrugging, Buzzardpaw yawned quietly, closing his eyes. _Oh well, I can't worry about that now. I have a prophecy to fulfill._


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Eaglepaw hissed as his mentor's jagged claws barely whisked passed his face. He jerked his head away at the last moment, barely avoiding the attack.

"Come on, Eaglepaw, focus!" Viperhiss growled, lunging at his apprentice once more. Eaglepaw leapt out of the way, sliding his claws down his mentor's flank as he skidded past him. "Much better." Eaglepaw crouched, panting heavily.

The two had been training since sunhigh, and the moon was beginning to fill the training hollow with a pale glow. The other apprentices and mentors had returned to the camp a long time ago, but Viperhiss insisted that they continued training until _he _was satisfied. _And knowing Viperhiss, we'll be doing this all night! _The brown tom had a long scratch on his foreleg, and his ears ached from the countless times his mentor had nipped them. Still, Eaglepaw found himself zoning out, his mind on the vivid dream he had had the previous night.

_That prophecy, it was truly something. Who were those cats? What was that weird light thing? And why in StarClan's name was one cat shooting laser beams from its eyes? _Eaglepaw was violently ripped from his thoughts as Viperhiss roughly pinned him, snarling in his face. "What is wrong with you?" The gray tom growled, nipping his apprentice's ear. "Stop zoning out!"

Eaglepaw hissed in pain, kicking his hindlegs into his mentor's belly and sending him flying off. The heavily scarred tom huffed, giving his apprentice an unimpressed look. "This is getting nowhere. Let's just return to camp."

Eaglepaw's shoulders slouched in relief at his mentors words. He was exhausted, and couldn't wait to sink into his nest and fall asleep. Of course, this couldn't happen, as an annoying ball of fluff came hurtling his way. The gray she-kit crashed into Eaglepaw's chest, making him stumble onto his wounded leg. He hissed in pain and annoyance.

The se-kit seemed to notice this, backing off slightly. "Oops. Sorry, Eaglepaw!"

"Whatever, Quailkit. Just watch where you're going next time." She nodded, bounding to her father that was standing nearby. Viperhiss purred at her, his eyes affectionate. _Hmph, that's a first. _Allowing the two to speak, Eaglepaw limped to the medicine den.

Cinderpaws was tending to Silkyspark, who was lying on her side. This was a common sight, as Silkyspark had suddenly fallen ill a moon prior. The medicine cat's back was hunched over as he rubbed the she-cat's flank, which was rising and falling quickly. The medicine cat's ears twitched as he noticed him come in.

"I'm guessing you've just finished training, Eaglepaw?" The dark gray tom mewed, a small hint of annoyance in his voice. Eaglepaw had visited this den almost daily, with some injury or another from his mentor's vigorous training.

"Mhm. I have a cut on my leg." At the sound of his voice, Silkyspark seemed to come to life, quickly lifting her head to look at him. Her green eyes were glassy and lost, but she smiled at the apprentice nonetheless.

"Hello, Eaglepaw. How was training?" Her voice was weak but still cheerful.

"Obviously not great, if he's here." Cinderpaws grunted, rising to his paws. He inspected the cut on Eaglepaw's leg, letting out a loud exhale from his nostrils. "Why can't your mate train his apprentices like a normal cat, Silkyspark?" The she-cat laughed in response, the soft sound replaced by sharp coughing. Cinderpaws whipped around, angling his head to Gorsepaw. "Treat Eaglepaw for me, will you?"

The small brown and white tom approached the much larger apprentice, shakily applying a herb juice to his wound. "D-Does this sting?"

"No." It truly didn't, as Eaglepaw had felt worse from his mentor's beatings. He held his arm out so the other tom could get better access.

"G-Good." The medicine apprentice mewed quietly, grabbing cobwebs. The apprentice was shaking so badly however, the thin material barely wrapped over the wound, instead covering Eaglepaw's paw instead. Eaglepaw looked at the sticky web, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Um… that's not where my wound is." He pointed to the correct spot with his other paw. "That's where it is. Can't you see?"

Gorsepaw realized his mistake, blushing madly. "O-Oh, r-right. I'm s-sorry." He peeled the cobwebs from the other tom's paw and placed them in their correct spot. "T-There."

Inspecting the work, Eaglepaw hummed quietly. "Than-" He was cut off by the sound of Cinderpaw's angry voice.

"Viperhiss!" The medicine cat yowled, his eyes livid. The gray warrior dashed into the den, his eyes falling on his mate.

"What happened?" The tom's mew was filled with worry.

"You happened." Cinderpaws growled, standing on his tiptoes to stare the warrior in the face. "Silkyspark is pregnant."

"What?" Viperhiss' surprised mew was replaced by purring, a rough, scratchy sound. "That's great news!"

"No it's not!" Cinderpaws hissed, cuffing the other tom over the ears. "She just gave birth to her other kits, not even four moons ago. Are you mouse brained? How hard is it for you to keep yourself away from her for just six moons?"

Viperhiss' face turned red as he stammered a response. "Wha-? I- I just- Nevermind that. She's pregnant! That's a good thing, yes?"

"You frog brained fool! That's a horrible thing! Her body is much too weak to go through another kitting, not this soon. You've put her in a dangerous position, Viperhiss." Cinderpaws eyes were livid as he glared at the warrior. "Now that I think about it, that explains her never-ending cough. Her immune system is too weak to fight it, because you couldn't keep your smelly arse away!"

The ShadowClan warrior fell silent, suddenly realizing the severity of the situation. "Can your herbs heal her? Isn't that your job?"

"I can only do so much, mouse brain. At this point, her fate is in StarClan's paws." Viperhiss had opened his mouth to say something else, but Eaglepaw had already left the den, not wanting to be in the tense environment any longer. He was followed out by Gorsepaw, who had also seemed uncomfortable during the altercation.

"That was awkward." Eaglepaw sniffed, looking at the tom beside him. The camp was completely empty, the large bright moon washing the clearing with a white glow.

"Y-Yeah. I feel bad for V-Viperhiss."

"Do you think she'll make it?"

The light brown tom shook his head in response. "I-I don't know. Cinderpaws is d-doing all that he can, b-but that's only so m-much."

Eaglepaw hummed, nodding slightly. "You've had that stutter ever since I was a kit. Do you mind telling me what happened?"

Gorsepaw seemed taken aback by this question, blinking his eyes rapidly. "I-I don't mind at all." He looked down at his paws, his pelt seemingly sparkling under the soft moonlight. "W-When I was a kit, I had s-snuck out of c-camp with my s-siblings." The tom paused, though not voluntarily, clearing his throat. Eaglepaw gave him a patient smile, encouraging him on. "F-Flowerpaw and B-Brownkit. We wandered around the t-territory, following a f-funny sound. That sound t-turned out to be a T-T-Thunderpath, a very active one t-too." His stutter seemed to be worsening as he recollected the story, prompting Eaglepaw to place his tail on the other tom's flank. "B-Brownkit ran onto i-it, wanting to p-play, then a m-monster came, at that same m-moment, Sweetblossom, my m-mother dashe out to s-save him… B-But the m-monster was too quick a-and rolled over her and B-Brownkit… Then she- T-Then she- She…" Gorsepaw was visibly shaking, unable to get the words out. Eaglepaw pressed his body against his in an effort to comfort him, giving the other tom a small lick over the ears.

"I understand. You don't have to say anymore." His golden eyes became dark as he thought of the situation. He never knew his father, but he knew that he would be devastated if something were to happen to his mother. "I'm sorry about your mother and brother. I'm sure they're watching you from StarClan."

Gorsepaw sniffled, nodding slightly. Before he could say anything, Mousestar approached him, a small smile one her face. "Eaglepaw, there you are. Why aren't you asleep?" He opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off. "Oh, never mind that, I'm glad you're awake. I need to show you something." She suddenly seemed to notice the other apprentice, her eyes flashing in concern. "Gorsepaw, are you alright?"

The medicine cat apprentice looked embarrassed, nodding quickly. "Y-Yes ma'am, I…" Before he could be questioned further, he scurried back to the medidine den, leaving Eaglepaw with his mother.

"You wanted to show me something? What?" He mewed, looking at her curiously.

Mousestar grinned, her face lighting up. "It's a surprise. Come on!" With that, she bounded out of camp, Eaglepaw close behind her.

Dashing through the thick forest, Eaglepaw kept up with his mother, his eyes wide with curiosity. _I wonder what the surprise is? _He silently noted where they were. _This is the direction of the ThunderClan border… What are we doing here? _Before they reached the border however, Mousestar made a sharp turn, running along it. Eaglepaw skidded behind her, almost crashing into a tree as he didnt expect the movement. _Jeez!_

The two continued to run alongside the border, eventually emerging in an area where the scents began to fade. _This is no longer ThunderClan territory, I guess I was wrong. But we're starting to reach the edge of ShadowClan territory as well. Where is she taking me? _As he thought this, Mousestar bursted into an empty clearing, the ShadowClan scent markers abruptly stopping. She began to slow, shortly stopping in the middle of the clearing. _This is no longer ShadowClan territory. We're outside of the clans now._

"Hello?" Mousestar called, looking around. "Are you there?" _Are we meeting some cat?_

At the sound of her voice, the bushes at the far side of the clearing began to rustle, a figure stepping out. The cat was masked by the dark shadows of the bush, but Mousestar bounded towards them anyways. Eaglepaw followed behind her slowly, his claws unsheathed.

Mousestar was sitting next to the cat, her face glowing in delight. "Eaglepaw, I feel that it is time for you to meet someone."

He stood a few tail lengths away, still unable to identify who the cat was. As he got closer, his nose began to fill with the musky scent of ThunderClan. _Wha-?_

"Eaglepaw, I would like you to meet… your father." The cat finally padded out from the shadows, allowing the moonlight to reveal himself to the apprentice. Eaglepaw's eyes widened immediately in recognition.

"Hello, my son."

_What!?_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**New perspective! Though this is Buzzardpaw's story, I figured it would get boring alway reading from his point of view and decided to give Eaglepaw a chapter. He's important to this story too!**

**Chapter 10 is almost finished. I hope to have it out by tomorrow.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Higher, Buzzardpaw! I shouldn't be able to see you from here!"

Buzzardpaw hauled himself up the massive tree, its trunk seemingly stretching forever into the pitch black forest. He grunted at Darkendstreak's voice. _Any higher and I'll reach StarClan's borders! _Pulling himself higher, he leapt on a sturdy branch and looked down. He couldn't see the ground at all now.

"Okay … down!" He barely heard Darkenedstreak's voice from down below.

"What?"

" … said … down!"

Shrugging, Buzzardpaw climbed back down from the trunk, using the technique the she-cat had shown him previously. Russetprowl had taught him how to climb down the tree facing downwards, which made the descent seem more daunting and scary. Darkenedstreak suggested climbing down while still looking upwards, which definitely helped greatly. _I learn so much down here… It's not all bad!_

As his paws hit the damp ground, Buzzardpaw faced his night-time mentor, his eyes shining in pride. He had never climbed that high before. He was disappointed however, to see the unimpressed look on her face.

"That took way longer than it should have. I would make you do it again, but we have more training to do." With that, she turned away and padded deeper into the forest, her tail tip curling behind her. Buzzardpaw glanced at Eaglepaw who was sitting not too far away. The ShadowClan apprentice had his head down, staring at his paws intently as if they were the most interesting thing in the Clans. Buzzardpaw tilted his head slightly. _Normally he's so hot-headed and confident… What's going on with him? _He padded over to the other tom and tapped him lightly with his paw. Eaglepaw jumped at the touch, his eyes wide. _Wow, he really was deep in thought!_

"You okay?" Buzzardpaw mewed, his eyes furrowing in concern. He felt a connection with the other tom seeing that they shared a prophecy. He didn't want him to feel down. "You look like you're somewhere else."

"I'm fine." Eaglepaw mumbled, looking back down.

"Are you sure? You're-" He was cut off by Darkenedstreak's screech.

"What are you two fleabrains doing?" Her voice rang through the forest. It was obvious that she was a distance away, but she was yelling so loudly it sounded like she was right in the apprentices' ears. "We don't have all night!"

The two toms rushed in the direction of her voice without a word. They emerged in a large clearing with a few cats training along its edges. Darkenedstreak was pacing back and forth in front of Viperhiss, who was looking past her. Once the she-cat had noticed the apprentices, she stalked over to them quickly.

"Next time you pull a stunt like that, I'll claw your ears off." _Jeez, we were only talking for three heartbeats! _"We'll do some actual battle training now. Eaglepaw, you'll be fighting Viperhiss' apprentice."

Buzzardpaw tilted his head in confusion. _Isn't Viperhiss Eaglepaw's mentor? _"Viperhiss has two apprentices?"

Darkenedstreak nodded. "Yes, a day-time apprentice, and a night-time apprentice. Goosepaw!" She flicked her tail at a wiry black tom sitting a distance away. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened. _That's a WindClan cat!_

"Wait, isn't he from WindClan? Why would Viperhiss receive a WindClan apprentice?"

Darkendstreak's nose wrinkled in annoyance. "In the Place of No Stars, Clan boundaries don't apply. We're all cats that are looking to get stronger, and that's all that matters." With that, she took the two toms to a clearer spot a few tail lengths away. _I still don't get it. Isn't it kind of, traitorous to work with cats in other clan, let alone _train _them? If cats are just going to forget boundaries like that, there might as well be just one Clan instead of four! _Buzzardpaw shuddered at the thought. There were always four clans, and there would always be four clans, no matter what happens in the dream world. _I guess they just have to forget their alliance in the waking world. But wouldn't that be tough? _

He was shaken from his thoughts by his mentor's yowl. Goosepaw crashed into Eaglepaw, who still seemed mentally absent. The brown tom yowled and fell onto his back, swatting at his opponent feebly with his paws. The hits barely seemed to affect the smaller tom, and Goosepaw kept Eaglepaw pinned down.

"Use your claws Eaglepaw!" Darkenedstreak hissed, her pelt bristling angrily. He unsheathed his claws and batted them at his attacker, but Goosepaw simply moved his head away from the attack and pressed into the ground harder. Blood welled up around the area where his claws dug into Eaglepaw's chest. Buzzardpaw frowned. _What's he doing? _Eaglepaw seemed to be an excellent fighter, especially after how badly he had beaten his challenger before he received the prophecy. _And that was a _warrior_! _Goosepaw lifted one of his paws and brought it down on Eaglepaw's face, making him screech in pain. Blood spurted from the gash and Buzzardpaw winced inwardly. That was definitely going to scar.

He glanced over at Viperhiss, who had moved closer to observe the battle. The gray warrior's expression was aloof, and his eyes glinting coldly at the fighting apprentices. _Uh oh, he's mad. _He looked at Eaglepaw desperately. _Come on Eaglepaw! Fight back! You're a part of the prophecy!_

As if he could hear his silent plea, a wave of energy seemed to flow through the pinned tom. With a sudden strength, he shot forward, sending Goosepaw flying backwards. The black tom slid on the ground a few tail lengths away, crouching down. Fear flashed in the WindClan tom's eyes as his attacker stalked closer. Buzzardpaw felt his chest swell with pride. _Yes! That was awesome! _He glanced over at Viperhiss, whose face was still stony, but seemed to have melted slightly. He looked back over to the fighting apprentices to see that Eaglepaw had Goosepaw pinned now.

The black apprentice struggled under the huge tom's single paw, his eyes wide and glassy. Eaglepaw grabbed him by the scruff roughly, lifting the smaller tom in the air. Goosepaw's limbs flail wildly as he tried to escape the larger tom's grip, but his efforts proved unsuccessful, and Eaglepaw kept him hoisted in the air. Jerking his neck, the ShadowClan apprentice threw the smaller tom up in the air, then spun around, his rump crashing into Goosepaw's body and sending him flying across the clearing. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in awe at the move. _That was amazing! _He watched as Goosepaw struggled to stand to his paws, clearly winded. Darkenedstreak stepped up to the black tom, sniffing him disdainfully.

"The victor here is clear, though Eaglepaw, I'm unimpressed with your faltering at the beginning of the fight." She mewed, scratching her ear with one of her hind paws. Eaglepaw looked down at his paws, his shoulders slouching as they were before. _There's definitely something bothering him. If there wasn't, this fight would have been done a long time ago. I'm just glad he came through in the end._ "Now move out of the way. It's Buzzardpaw's turn."

Buzzardpaw stepped into the clearing, wondering who his opponent would be. He glanced over at Goosepaw, who had slunk away under a dark bush to sulk. Eaglepaw was sitting down next to Viperhiss, his wound dripping blood onto his black paws. Buzzardpaw looked up to see a blue colored tom standing across from him. Darkenedstreak nodded.

"This is Rippleclaw. He will be your opponent." _That's a warrior! That's not fair! Eaglepaw got to fight an apprentice! _Buzzardpaw tried to hide his uncertainty but ultimately failed, Darkenedstreak narrowing her eyes at him. "Do you not think that you're capable of winning this fight? As a cat in the prophecy, you should be ready to face _any_ challenge at _any_ time." With that, she stepped back, giving the toms more room to fight in. "Are you ready?"

Rippleclaw answered the question by unsheathing his claws, his tail lashing as he glowered at the apprentice. Buzzardpaw mumbled a quiet 'yes' and gulped, unsheathing his own claws. He crouched down, awaiting Darkendstreak's command.

"Begin!"

Buzzardpaw barely leapt away as the large warrior came hurtling at him. Before he could turn around, he felt a flurry of attacks aimed at his hindquarters. Hissing, he dashed to the warrior's flank, barely grazing his pelt as the blue tom leapt away. He leapt for the warrior's head, slashing his claws down his ears and smirking as he heard his opponent hiss in pain. Leaping away from Rippleclaw's retaliation, Buzzardpaw jumped onto his back, struggling to pin him down. He grabbed the tom's scruff, barely hanging on as the RiverClan warrior jerked and bucked underneath him. Hooking his paws under Rippleclaw's, Buzzardpaw successfully pinned him, pressing the large warrior's head into the dirt.

Before he could revel in his victory, Buzzardpaw felt the air rush out of him as the warrior rolled over and crushed his attacker underneath his back. Winded, Buzzardpaw was unable to defend himself from Rippleclaw's mighty kick to his head, which sent him reeling across the soggy ground. Buzzardpaw shakily stood his paws, seeing stars and greatly disoriented. He blinked a few times, his blurry vision finally becoming clear again. Seeing the tom rush for him again, Buzzardpaw planted his paws firmly into the ground, barely keeping his footing as the huge weight crashed into him. Falling backwards, he screeched as his paw twisted awkwardly from the impact, his eyes welling up with tears from the pain. He kicked feebly at the warrior, his injured paw hanging limply on his chest.

"Enough!" Darkendstreak yowled, Rippleclaw immediately stepping off of the apprentice. He smirked at Buzzardpaw then moved back a few paces, allowing Darkenedstreak to check on the brown tom. Buzzardpaw clutched his twisted paw firmly, whimpering. The white she-cat sniffed it, then nodded. "I know what I have to do."

Without warning, she grasped Buzzardpaw's foot and jerked it forward, making the apprentice howl in agony. Unable to hold back the tears, Buzzardpaw licked his paw tenderly, glaring at the she-cat. "What was that for?"

"I had to snap it back in place." She sounded nonchalant, clearly annoyed by his crying. "Look, it's not broken anymore. You should be _grateful_."

Tapping his paw to the ground, Buzzardpaw realized that it didn't hurt as much as it hurt before, but the pain was still immense. _She did help, but she could have at least warned me! _Rising to his feet, Buzzardpaw held his injured paw above the ground, limping over to Viperhiss and Eaglepaw. Viperhiss looked through him, his eyes narrowed, and Eaglepaw continued to stare at the ground. Choking back tears, Buzzardpaw tried to appear strong and sat down next to Eaglepaw.

"Tonight," Darkendstreak started, pacing in front of the apprentices, "Was an absolute disaster." Buzzardpaw cringed at her words. "Horrible. Pitiful. Pathetic. How are you two supposed to complete a prophecy, if you cant even fight regular cats? Huh?" The apprentices stayed quiet, their heads hanging down.

"ANSWER ME!"

"I don't know." The toms mumbled in unison, their heads dipping even further. Buzzardpaw glanced up at the she-cat, who glared at them coldly.

"Tomorrow night, I expect better."

"But my paw!" Buzzardpaw protested, stepping on it. He hissed in pain as it touched the wet ground. _There's no way I can train with this!_

"Go to your medicine cat, she'll fix it." Darkendstreak huffed dismissively. "As a prophesied cat, you'll have to learn to endure pain. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. You should be waking soon." As she said this, her mew became more fuzzy, the ground around her fading. Buzzardpaw opened his eyes, sighing as he realized he was back in the apprentice's den. A faint glow lit up the shadowy den, indicating that it was not quite dawn, but would be soon. Buzzardpaw looked down at his injured paw, nettles of pain jolting through it as he moved. _How am I supposed to explain this?_


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"This should help with the pain." Speckledlight was mewing, smearing a thick green poultice over Buzzardpaw's injured paw.

He sighed, his ear tips twitching as he watched the she-cat heal him. When Russetprowl came to wake him up for the dawn patrol, he pretended to trip over his nest and was dismissed from his duties for the day. _I'd much rather be training than cooped up in this dusty den!_

"Are you sure you only tripped?" Speckledlight asked, tilting her head. She had a knowing look on her face. "That was quite a fall for it to be sprained like this."

Buzzardpaw nodded. "Mhm. How much longer will I be here?"

The she-cat clicked her tongue, turning her back to sort through herbs. "It is not sprained too badly, so later on I will have you do some exercises to stretch it out." Buzzardpaw perked, and Speckledlight seemed to notice this. "Oh, but don't expect to train for a while. I say you spend a few more sunups resting before I send you back out." Buzzardpaw groaned, sinking back into his nest. _This sucks!_

A few moments later, Goldenstar and Fawnleap crashed into the den, making Speckledlight drop the bundle of herbs she was holding in surprise. Buzzardpaw looked at his parents, a small scowl on his face.

"Buzzardpaw! Are you alright?" Fawnleap mewed, rushing over to him to lick between his ears.

"I'm fine."

"What happened?" Goldenstar asked, his eyes dark with worry.

"He tripped over his nest." Speckledlight answer for him, giving the leader a sideways look. Goldenstar held her gaze for a second then turned back to his son, his eyes narrowing. _Does Speckledlight know?_

"How much longer will he be here?" The massive tom questioned, his eyes boring into Buzzardpaw's. He gulped. _Is he angry? _

"A few more sunrises, then he can get back to training. I'm going to let him walk around camp later to stretch his legs."

"But surely he should be laying down?" Fawnleap asked, worry in her mew. "We don't want him to get any more hurt."

Speckledlight blinks warmly at the she-cat. "His paw is sprained, not broken. It would do him more good to exercise it rather than let it stiffen." Fawnleap still looked unconvinced, and the medicine cat gave her a small smile. "Come on. Why don't we pick him out a piece of prey?" Reluctantly, Fawnleap tore herself away from her son, padding out of the den backwards to keep him in her sight. Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. _I know she's worried, but now she's just being silly!_

Buzzardpaw quickly realized he was in the den alone with his father, who was staring at him intensely. Buzzardpaw looked up at him sheepishly. _Is he mad at me? _

Goldenstar finally spoke, his mew quiet. "You didn't really trip over your nest, did you?" Buzzardpaw shook his head, looking down. "It came from the Dark Forest, didn't it?"

Buzzardpaw remained silent.

"Who did it?"

"It's nothing-"

"Who. Did. It?" Goldenstar's growl was forceful and dark.

"Some RiverClan warrior." He could tell that his father wasn't pleased with this answer. "Rippleclaw is his name."

Goldenstar nodded, his expression stony. "You won't have to worry about them anymore." Buzzardpaw froze. What was Goldenstar thinking? He would likely never meet the warrior, so why did it matter? _Is he gonna march into RiverClan camp and give him a stern talking to? _He rolled his eyes at the thought.

His father was still speaking. "I'm assuming you'll be going there tonight as well. It would be smart if you didnt train."

Buzzardpaw shook his head. "Darkenedstreak is intent on training me tonight. She said so herself, ``I'm not getting out of it that easy."

Goldenstar looked confused, his eyebrows furrowing. "Why would she do that?" After pausing for a second, Goldenstar nodded, as if he thought of something. He spoke again. "Just take it easy, alright? I don't want my little warrior getting hurt anymore."

Buzzardpaw nodded, slightly confused. _What was that look on his face, just now? _He was cut from his thoughts as Fawnleap padded into the den, a squirrel in her jaws. She dropped it at her son's feet, attempting to lay down, but was shooed out by Speckledlight.

"He needs his rest. Go." Fawnleap's mouth opened to protest, but Goldenstar stood and nudged her out, murmuring in her ear. Tucking into the prey, Buzzardpaw rasped his tongue over his jaws as he finished. He closed his eyes for a quick nap, his dreams pleasant.

* * *

Buzzardpaw woke to a cold nose nudging his shoulder. Mumbling quietly, he blinked open his eyes to come face to face with Speckledlight. Bright sunlight streamed through the den entrance, making Buzzardpaw squint.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but it would be a good time to move around now. Most cats are out training or hunting, so you'll have plenty of room. Just make sure you stay in camp!" She stepped back, letting Buzzardpaw rise. He wearily placed his paw onto the ground, surprised by the dull pain. It still hurt a bit to put his full weight on it, but at least he wasn't limping as badly as he was before. Mewing a quiet thanks to Speckledlight, Buzzardpaw hobbled out of the medicine den.

Stepping into the middle of the camp, Buzzardpaw was surprised to see the sun high in the sky, filling the gorge with a bright light. The camp was mostly empty, sans Newtwhisper's kits playing near the nursery. Buzzardpaw idly shuffled around the camp, his whiskers twitching as he listened to the kits bounce around. LIfting his head, he was surprised to be met with an unfamiliar, musky scent.

Turning his head, Buzzardpaw looked up the steep gorge, a small figure sitting atop a tall rock. Narrowing his eyes, Buzzardpaw realized that the figure was looking directly into the camp. _What the?_

"_Just make sure you stay in camp!" _Speckledlight's voice rang in his head. Looking around, Buzzardpaw inched towards the bramble entrance, trying to seem as unsuspicious as possible. Brindlekit looked in his direction, but was unable to say anything due to his sisters tackling him. Taking his chance, Buzzardpaw scurried out of camp as fast as he could.

Pausing at the end of the bramble entrance, Buzzardpaw looked around, sniffing for the stranger's scent. Finding it, he circled around the gorge's edge, the mysterious cat coming into view. It hadn't noticed him, and Buzzardpaw crept closer, laying low to the ground. Not watching where he was going, his sprained paw sunk into a dip in the rocky wall, making him hiss in pain. The cat suddenly looked up, bolting away as it noticed the apprentice. Buzzardpaw dashed after it, ignoring the pains shooting up his paw.

His tail flashing out behind him, Buzzardpaw bolted after the figure as fast as he could, weaving between trees and brambles as he followed the intruder. The cat was getting away, and Buzzardpaw pointed his head towards the ground, his paws pushing him as fast as they could. _You aren't getting away from me that easily!_

Buzzardpaw suddenly collided with a furry object. The stranger yowled, pinned to the ground by the apprentice's weight. Buzzardpaw stared into the cat's yellow eyes, glaring.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" He hissed in the toms face, digging his paw deeper into his chest. The tom was strikingly beautiful, and his silky pelt could easily be mistaken for a she-cat's. Giving the intruder a quick sniff, Buzzardpaw was able to confirm that it was indeed a tom. The apprentice kept his injured paw against his body, protecting it in case the cat decided to strike back.

The cat looked at Buzzardpaw's injured foot and smirked, flashing his paw out and smacking it hard. Yowling, Buzzardpaw leapt off, his eyes narrowing at the intruder who had backed away. He was looking at Buzzardpaw curiously, his long tail swaying behind him.

Licking his paw tenderly, Buzzardpaw got a good look at the cat through narrowed eyes. The tom was small, his brown and orange mottled pelt shiny and sleek. The bright splash of white on his belly seemed to glow, and his yellow eyes did as well. The cat was well groomed but lean, making Buzzardpaw unsure if he was a run-away kittypet or a loner. The cat moved closer, making Buzzardpaw hiss and unseath his claws.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Buzzardpaw repeated, baring his teeth. The tom seemed unafraid, his eyes twinkling mischievously. Finally he spoke, his voice low and smooth.

"I was just watching." He mewed, stepping forward once more. Buzzardpaw hissed louder, wanting him to back off.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Buzzardpaw growled. This was getting nowhere. "You can't just do that." He meowed, standing his ground. "With the way you ran away, I'm sure you were up to no good."

The tom rolled his eyes. "No good? Oh please. I only ran away because I thought you were a dog." Buzzardpaw narrowed his eyes even more. The cat raised an eyebrow, giving him a coy smile. "Though.. If I had noticed how handsome you were, I wouldn't have run away at all." He purred.

"That's-" Buzzardpaw stopped, shocked. _What? _He blinked rapidly, his mouth gaping as he tried to muster up something to say. Seeing that he couldn't, the cat continued.

"I'm Orion." He mewed, his whiskers twitching mischievously. "What's your name?"

"None of your business." Buzzardpaw growled, his tail lashing.

Orion wrinkled his nose playfully. "I knew before that Clan cats have odd names, but that's just mad." The tom had a faint accent, and he spoke quickly and elegantly. "Well, mister 'None of your business', what are your parents feeding you to get you that big? You're bigger than the barn I live in."

Buzzardpaw hissed, swiping at Orion, who was only a tail length in front of him. The dappled tom giggled playfully, swatting his paw away. "Careful now, you don't want to hurt yourself. Oh wait, you already did." He broke into a fit of laughter at his own joke, tears forming in his eyes as he did so.

Buzzardpaw looked on disdainfully, his lips curled back into a scowl. "Trust me, rat, if my paw wasn't sprained, I would have flayed you."

"Ooh. I'm so scared." Orion purred, making his eyes wide to feign fear. "Are you gonna tell me your name now or what?"

"No!"

"Okay okay, have it your way then."

Buzzardpaw glared at the tom, a low growl rumbling in his thoat. "Why are you here?" He growled for the third time. "Do you want to join the clan or something?"

Orion scoffed, rolling his eyes at the suggestion. "Oh please, the Clans are overrated. I'd much rather spend my time with my group."

"Then whhy are you here then?!" Buzzardpaw yowled, irritated.

Orion barely seemed affected by his loud voice. "I'm here because- '' He was cut off by the sound of rustling leaves, which was coming from behind Buzzardpaw.

The scent of ThunderClan grew stronger. A patrol was coming! Orion seemed to notice this, his eyes widening in real fear. "Oops, looks like that's my call to leave." The tom dashed for the trees, his tail slapping the ground behind him. "Goodbye mister handsome giant!" He called, his voice ringing behind him.

Rolling his eyes, Buzzardpaw turned to face the patrol. Dragonflywing, Aloefang and Palecloud burst through the bushes, their pelts bristling. "Who's there?" The white she-cat called out, immediately noticing Buzzardpaw. "Buzzardpaw, who were you talking to?" Aloefang questioned, flattening her pelt.

Buzzardpaw shrugged. "No one."

"I smell rogue." Dragonflywing mewed suspiciously, circling Buzzardpaw. "You smell like a rogue."

Buzzardpaw tried to remain nonchalant. "There was a rogue here earlier, but I chased him off. There's nothing to worry about.

Dragonflywing scoffed. "Ha! With your crippled paw, you couldn't chase off a mouse, let alone a rogue."

"I'm not crippled!"

"Oh yeah? Then why are you clutching your paw like a queen holding a kit?"

Buzzardpaw opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't, as Palecloud had moved himself in between the bickering toms. "Alright, quiet you two." He looked at Buzzardpaw, his eyes kind, but stern. "I appreciate you chasing off the rogue, Buzzardpaw, but you should be in camp getting rest. You don't want to injure your paw any further."

Buzzardpaw nodded and followed behind the patrol, limping badly. He had hurt his paw again from all the running he had done, and now that the adrenaline was gone, the pain was almost too much to bear. Dragonflywing turned around to smirk at him, his discolored eyes twinkling. "Awe, did the wittle kit hurt his fwoot?" He mewed in a baby voice, pretending to pout. Buzzardpaw glared at him, wanting to claw the silly look off his face. _Ooh, that tom! I'll show him some day._

Finally reaching the bramble entrance, Buzzardpaw felt like he had walked a thousand miles. Just before he stepped into the camp, a black and white paw flashed under his able paw, sending him crashing face first into the sandy hollow. All the cats in the clearing turned to face him, their eyes shocked. Buzzardpaw whipped his head around to Dragonflywing, who was struggling to keep in his laughter.

His parents ran over to help, their eyes alarmed. Before they could reach him however, Buzzardpaw hissed at them, roughly pushing past them and heading towards the apprentice's den. He threw himself into his nest roughly, his sprained foot throbbing painfully. Growling, he closed his eyes. _Stupid paw!_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry, I couldnt get three chapters uploaded this week! I should be able to next week and the week after though, because my school is closed due to the virus. Stay safe everyone, and remember to keep your hands clean!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Eaglepaw sat in the medicine den, a small nick in his ear. Viperhiss had bit it a bit too hard during training, making a small rip form in the side. Recalling the pain, Eaglepaw winced.

"A-A'm I hurting you?" Gorsepaw mewed, stepping back. He was dabbing a thick yellow poultice into the small wound, immediately stopping when he saw the other apprentice flinch.

"No, it's fine." Eaglepaw sighed, resting his head on his paws. He was worn out from training, and was extremely grateful when his mentor called it off early. _I've been so distracted lately, but who could blame me?_

Closing his eyes, Eaglepaw recollected the previous night. The bright gaze of the tom his mother introduced him to bored in his mind, making him shudder. _I've always thought my father died or something before I was born, but nope. He's alive and well! _He opened his eyes, narrowing them slightly. _I've wondered why my mother never talks about him, now I see. Does Cinderpaws know? _He looked across the dark den to see the gray tom sitting next to Silkyspark. She was laying on her side, her breaths coming out in a loud ragged wheezing. Eaglepaw frowned in pity for the she-cat. _I hope she gets better soon._

"All done!" Gorsepaw said, stepping backwards. Eaglepaw tapped his bandaged ear with a paw. It no longer hurt making him smile at the other apprentice.

"Thanks. Want to get something to eat?"

"S-Sure!"

The two toms padded out of the den, a pleasant breeze ruffling their pelts as they headed to the freshkill pile. Grabbing a small frog, Eaglepaw settled down next to Gorsepaw, who had grabbed himself a vole. They ate in silence, until a small bundle of fluff came dashing towards them. Eaglepaw groaned inwardly. _Here we go._

"Hi guys!" Quailkit squeaked, bouncing on her toe tips.

"H-Hi." Gorsepaw said, his tail twitching.

Eaglepaw didn't say anything, instead taking another bite of the frog. He chewed slowly, not wanting to talk to the kit. Quailkit noticed this, blinking at him mischievously.

"You eat so slowly!" She mewed, mocking his chewing movements. She then placed her paws on the side of his face, moving his cheeks up and down to make him chew faster. Eaglepaw narrowed his eyes at her, earning a small purr from the she-kit. "There! All gone!" _Jeez she's annoying!_

He glanced over to Gorsepaw, who was obviously struggling to hold back his laughter. Oblivious to Eaglepaw's annoyance, the she-kit bounced around him, her gray pelt shining in the moonlight. "You guys are boring! Do something cool!"

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Eaglepaw grunted, finishing the rest of his meal.

"I would be, but Ashkit snores too loudly! I can never sleep with him in the den. He could scare off a badger!"

Eaglepaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and your voice could make a badger cry, because it's so shrill and annoying."

Quailkit swatted at his nose, her mouth stretched into a big grin. "Hey! That's mean!"

"It's the truth."

"Is not!" She squeaked, tip toeing behind him. Eaglepaw turned around, and was shocked to see her lunging for his face. His yowl was cut off as her fluffy body collided with his. "Gotcha! Jeez, what is dad teaching you? I could beat you up right now!"

Eaglepaw pushed her off, shaking the dust from his pelt. "Oh please. Only in your dreams could you ever hope to beat me."

Before Quailkit could answer, a loud, ear splitting screech rang through the clearing. Cinderpaws poked his head out of the medicine den, his eyes wide. He looked around the clearing frantically, his eyes finally falling on the three. "Gorsepaw, get over here! Silkyspark is kitting!"

"W-What? But she's due for another m-moon!"

"Hurry!"

The brown tom raced to the medicine den, his eyes as large as moons. Eaglepaw watched, tilting his head slightly. _Oh, I hope she'll be alright._ As he thought this, Viperhiss raced from the warriors den, thrusting himself into the tiny medicine den. Eaglepaw looked at Quailkit, who had a large smile on her face.

"New siblings! New siblings!" She squeaked, racing around in a circle. Eaglepaw watched, rolling his eyes. _I've never experienced having a sibling before, well, not until last night. _He thought back to his encounter with his father, and how similar he looked. _Oh, how could I have not noticed until now? It's so obvious!_

Quailkit was still rambling on, excited about the prospect of having new siblings. "I'm a big sister now! I can't wait to show them around the camp and boss them around. Oh, I hope I get a little sister! Brothers are so stinky and annoying, I couldn't handle another Ash- '' She was cut off by another blood curdling screech, making Eaglepaw's pelt stand on end. _Something's wrong. _Quailkit seemed to notice the desperation in the yowl as well, her bright smile slowly fading to a frown. _I need to distract her!_

"Uh… Quailkit." The she-kit was facing the Medicine den, her ears flattened to her head. She turned at the sound of her name, her eyes filled with worry. _Quick Eaglepaw, think! _"Um, do you want me to show you some battle moves?" The she-kit nodded, perking slightly.

Eaglepaw slid into a hunter's crouch, his paws tucked beneath him neatly. Quailkit tried to imitate, her tail sticking out like a stick. Eaglepaw tapped it with his paw, making her tuck it in more. "Make sure your tail stays above the ground, but don't let it stick out like that. Otherwise-"

Another howl of agony sounded from the medicine den, though this time much weaker than before. "Do something!" Eaglepaw heard Viperhiss's panicked voice, followed by a muffled response from Cinderpaws. Quailkit flattened her ears again, standing up.

"Is mama going to be okay?"

"I-I…" Eaglepaw was at a loss for words. He looked around, a few cats sleepily emerging from their dens from the commotion. "I don't know. But look! I can show you how to do a front paw strike. You balance on your paws like this, then-"

"I don't want to learn moves anymore." Quailkit's mew was quiet and shaky, much unlike her normal bubbly personality. Eaglepaw looked at her, frowning. Without a second thought, he pulled her in closer with his tail, pressing his pelt into hers.

"I'm sure Silkyspark will be fine." He mewed, his voice unconvinced. He cleared his throat, trying to sound more confident. "She's a strong she-cat, just like you. She'll be okay."

"You promise?"

Eaglepaw remained silent, gulping. Before he could speak, another agonized scream came from the den, this time from Viperhiss. Quailkit immediately ran for the medicine den, Eaglepaw dashing after her. "Quailkit, wait!" Using his longer legs, he reached the den before she could and blocked her view of the cats inside, fearing for the worst. He slowly turned his head to look in himself, he felt his breath catch in his throat.

Silkyspark lay in her next, her teeth gritted in a frozen grimace. A thin trail of yellow foam slid from her mouth, staining her white paws. A thick stream of blood poured from her rear, the thick red liquid slowly pooling around the messy nest. Four small scraps lay beside her, their tiny bodys coated in a thick scarlet fluid. Silkyspark's eyes stared at the ceiling lifelessly, a thin glaze covering them. _I can't let Quailkit see this!_

The kit was clawing at his tail, trying to thrust her way into the den. Eaglepaw stayed rigid, his face darkening. "Let me in!" Quailkit rasped, tears streaming from her eyes. "I need to check on mama!"

"Quailkit… I can't let you in. It's…" Eaglepaw turned his head to look back into the den, his eyes falling onto his mentor. The massive gray tom looked weak and frail, his shoulders hunched as he bowed over his mate's body. Tears splattered Silkyspark's pelt as he cried, his shoulders jerking violently with each sob. Eaglepaw felt his heart wrench as he looked onto the scene, his ears flattening against his head. He hated seeing his mentor in such a bad state, and wished he could do something to help. _The best I can do is keep Quailkit from seeing this… I wouldn't want to scar her for life._

Cinderpaws was shaking his head, trying his best to stop the bleeding. The endless torrent of blood soaked through the cobwebs each time, no matter how thick the wad was. Grunting in defeat, Cinderpaws stared accusingly at Viperhiss. "She's gone Viperhiss." The tom mewed, his voice low. "There's nothing I can do now."

Viperhiss remained quiet, still crying silently. He slowly lifted his head, his bottom lip quivering. "Surely there's _something_ else you could do?"

Cinderpaws growled, turning back to his herb storage. "What part of 'nothing I can do now' do you not understand, mouse brain? She's _dead_." Eaglepaw flinched as he said the word. _He could be a _bit _more sympathetic!_

Eaglepaw realized Quailkit's assault on his tail had ceased. Looking down, he felt his heart tear in half as he watched her tremble. He pressed his head to hers, closing his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Quailkit." The she-kit's mouth gaped as she struggled to say something, but she could only muster a few anguished squeaks. Eaglepaw pulled her in closer with his tail, allowing her head to press into his chest. He gave her ears a few soothing licks, trying his best to calm her down.

Eaglepaw's ear twitched as he heard Gorsepaw's voice. "N-Now, Cinderpaws, you s-should be a bit more s-sympathetic."

"Sympathetic?" The tom responded. "Pah! That dumb idiot is the reason why all this happened." Eaglepaw felt his chest swell with anger. _Why is he being so rude! That's totally uncalled for! _He turned his head back to the den to see Viperhiss glaring coldly at the tom. Cinderpaws seemed unbothered by this, returning the gaze equally. "I expected more from my own brother. Especially how our mother died."

Viperhiss seemed hurt by this. "You know that's not fair, Cinderpaws."

"Not fair?" The tom hissed, stalking closer to the warrior. "Not fair! What truly is 'not fair', is how you treated this she-cat! She's _dead_ now, Viperhiss, dead because of _you!_" Cinderpaws' voice cracked with emotion. "I knew you weren't the right cat for her, but she wouldn't listen!"

"She wouldn't listen because we were in love, Cinderpaws. Why don't you understand that?"

Cinderpaw's chest heaved as he glared into his brother's eyes. "We both know that if things didn't happen in the way they did, that wouldn't be the case." He paused, his eyes welling with tears. "No, she would have been in love with _me_."

With a yowl of anger, Viperhiss launched at the medicine cat, pinning him to the dusty floor. He lifted his scarred paw into the air, his long black claws flashing out dangerously. "I should just claw your stupid face off right now!" The warrior snarled, drool dripping from his jaws.

"You wouldn't dare." Cinderpaws hissed, unsheathing his own claws. Eaglepaw tensed, pushing Quailkit deeper into his pelt. _Are they going to fight? _Cinderpaws immediately kicked his hindlegs into the warrior's belly with surprising strength, sending him crashing into the den's ceiling and falling to the ground, a few tail lengths in front of Gorsepaw. The small brown tom was crouching to the ground, a frightened look in his eyes. He yelped and scrambled into a dark corner as the warrior fell in front of him, Gorsepaw's body trembling violently.

Viperhiss rose to his paws, glaring into his brother's eyes with poisonous hate. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, then shut it quickly. The gray tom stalked to the den entrance, roughly thrusting past Eaglepaw and out of the camp entrance. Quailkit tried to run after him, but was stopped by the group of cats that had gathered around the den. "I can't lose him too!" She squeaked, her eyes wet with tears.

"Don't worry, little one." Velvetowl mewed, wiping the kit's tears away with her tail. "He'll be back." Ashkit emerged from behind the warriors, looking scared and confused. Quailkit immediately rushed to her brother's side, burying her head into his pelt. Eaglepaw sighed as a Velvetowl ushered them to the nursery.

Eaglepaw blinked as he saw Mousestar weave through the group of cats, her green eyes narrowed in confusion. He felt awkward around her after she revealed who his father is, but he shook the feeling away. _Now's not the time._ He moved aside to let her enter the medicine den. Cinderpaws looked at her blankly, his pelt dirty and dull. Eaglepaw walked away from the den, allowing them to speak in private. He headed straight to the apprentice's den, immediately plopping into his nest.

"What in StarClan's name is happening out there?" Swiftpaw mewed, raising his head sleepily.

Eaglepaw ignored the tom and closed his eyes. _StarClan… what _is _happening?_


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Buzzardpaw awoke in the dark forest, the scent of soggy moss and musky mushrooms filling his nostrils. Rising to his paws, he winced slightly, lifting his injured food above the ground. Moments later, Eaglepaw appeared next to him, looking exhausted.

"Are you alright?" Buzzardpaw asked, blinking at the tom. His eyes were dark with fatigue, and clumps of dust and mud riddled his thick pelt. He definitely seemed out of it, and Buzzardpaw was afraid he wouldn't answer him like the previous night.

To Buzzardpaw's surprise, the ShadowClan apprentice lifted his head, his eyes thoughtful. "I'm fine, just a busy day that's all." He paused for a moment, his whiskers twitching. "Silkyspark passed while kitting."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Buzzardpaw mewed, tilting his head sympathetic. He could tell that Eaglepaw was trying to keep up a brave face and was truly affected by the death of his clanmate, though he wouldn't show it. He wanted to comfort the tom, but didnt feel that it was appropriate.

Eaglepaw shook his head. "It's fine. I'm actually glad I was sent here tonight. I needed something- _anything _to keep my mind occupied."

Buzzarpaw dipped his head in understanding. Moments later, Darkendstreak materialized in front of them, black sparks whizzing around her pelt. She looked at the apprentices, her pelt ruffled slightly. Something flashed in her eyes as she looked at Buzzardpaw's foot. She glared for a second then shook her head, as if something told her to snap out of it. Blinking a few times, she lifted her gaze to Buzzardpaw's, her voice low.

"I've… decided that we will be doing a less rigorous training regimen tonight." The she-cat sounded unconvinced and almost, fearful as she said this. BUzzardpaw tilted his head, then glanced at Eaglepaw, who looked equally confused. _Why is she acting so strangely?_ She cleared her throat and continued speaking. "We'll do water training tonight."

"Water training?" Buzzardpaw wondered aloud. "Like swimming/"

"Yes." Darkendstreak hissed, her usual irritated voice slowly coming out. "I can't have you just sitting around all night, now can I?" Before Buzzardpaw could reply, she headed off, her tail lashing behind her. "Come on now."

Buzzardpaw hobbled after the she-cat, and Eaglepaw padded next to him, keeping pace with his limping. Buzzardpaw felt his chest fill with gratitude at the gesture. _Though Eaglepaw can seem distant and cocky, he's a pretty nice cat. _

After a while, the three cats emerged in a small clearing, dark trees and bushes aligning the space. Ahead, an odd squishing sound could be heard. Peering through the trees, Buzzardpaw saw a few cats training along the edge of a river, though the thick black liquid could barely be described as water. Buzzardpaw wrinkled his nose at the foul smell coming from the thick sludge. The three burst through the undergrowth, the smell becoming stronger.

"Ugh, that smell is horrendous." Eaglepaw whispered beside him, earning a small nod from Buzzardpaw. The stench was almost unbearable, and Buzzardpaw felt like he would throw up from the smell alone. Padding up to the "river's" edge, he hissed as a bubble of sludge splashed onto his paw, coating his foot in the disgusting odor. He heard a loud snickering behind him.

"Aww, is the kit afraid of the water?" The voice sneered, malice dripping through each word. Buzzardpaw whipped his head around to come face to face with a sturdy brown and white tom. _Spottedpaw! _The RiverClan tom sneered at him, his pupils narrowed to slits. Buzzardpaw scoffed, trying to move past him. Spottedpaw blocked his way, pointing to his paw. "What happened there?"

"None of your business." Buzzardpaw grunted, pushing his way past the tom. Spottedpaw smacked his injured foot as he passed, making BUzzardpaw hiss in pain. He opened his mouth to say something, but Spottedpaw was called away by a tom standing a few tail lengths away. Buzzardpaw turned his attention towards Eaglepaw, who was watching Spottedpaw intensely.

"Alright you two," Darkenedstreak was saying, "Tonight we'll be working on swimming. The water here is much thicker than the water in the waking world, so it provides a much greater challenge." She padded to the edge of the bank, dipping her paw into the thick sludge. Her paw came back out black and slimy, making Buzzardpaw scrunch up his nose. "Buzzardpaw, you shouldn't have to worry about your paw. The water is so thick, it should take all of the pressure off of your injury." She beckoned with her tail for the two to join her at the edge, which the toms reluctantly did. Eaglepaw slid in first, barely keeping his head above the thick muck. Buzzardpaw jumped in afterwards, regretting his decision immediately.

Thick black sludge shot into the air as he crashed into the slimy surface, coating the cats standing by the bank. Buzzardpaw could barely hear their hisses of annoyance as he sunk into the muck, the water oozing into his ears and nostrils. Coughing, Buzzardpaw flailed his paws around, finally managing to bring his head to the surface. Darkendstreak was looking at him with an annoyed expression, and Eaglepaw had floated a bit further down the river to get away from his splash. Buzzardpaw felt his ears grow hot with embarrassment as he stared at his mentor, who was covered in the black sludge. _Oops!_

Darkenedstreak made the toms swim through the sludge for a while, instructing them on how to stay afloat and avoid getting the goop in their noses. Buzzardpaw began to grow tired, his muscles overworked from pushing through the thick liquid. The sludge burbled around him, making him groan inwardly. _It's like trying to swim through a group of cats. And ugh, it'll take forever for me to get rid of this smell!_

Buzzardpaw watched as Spottedpaw slid into the water, his brown belt immediately getting dirtied by the thick sludge. The tom thrashed his paws strongly through the water, though Buzzardpaw saw the apprentice struggle to keep his head above the sticky muck. _Even RiverClan cats struggle to swim through this mess! _Buzzardpaw lost track of Spottedpaw as he turned his head to Darkendstreak, who was speaking with a black tom. Buzzardpaw sighed inwardly. _When can we come out? My paws feel like they're going to fall off! _He glanced at Eaglepaw who was swimming a few tail lengths away, looking as annoyed as he was.

"Isn't it fun to be a RiverClan cat?" Buzzardpaw mewed sarcastically.

"Amazing." Eaglepaw responded, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "I feel my paws turning into fish fins already!"

Buzzardpaw's mrrow of laughter was cut off by Darkenedstreak, who had paused her conversation with the black tom to glare at them. Her tail lashed angrily.

"Hey you two!" She growled. "Less chit chat and more swimming! This ain't a Gathering!"

Eaglepaw stuck his tongue out at her after she turned away, crossing his eyes to make a funny face. "lEsS cHiT cHaT aNd MoRe SwImMiNg." The ShadowClan apprentice mocked, trying to imitate her voice.

Buzzardpaw snickered with laughter as he watched the tom. He opened his mouth to say something to him, but was cut off by a heavy weight crashing into him and pushing him beneath the water.

Buzzardpaw coughed as the thick murky sludge rushed into his nose and mouth, the scent and denseness of it confusing his senses. He felt the heavy weight on his back push him down further, his face colliding with the solid bottom of the river. Buzzardpaw tried to lash out against the weight, his chest tightening with fear. More of the muck rushed into his mouth as he tried to scream, choking him and making him feel light headed. The water was too thick to see through, and the sound of the goop roaring around his ears confused his senses. _Which way is up? I can't breathe!_

Buzzardpaw grew dizzier and dizzier each heartbeat he spent underneath the surface, the disgusting sludge rushing down his throat. His thrashes grew weaker and his mind grew fuzzier, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. _This is it… I can't escape…_ In a last desperate attempt to free himself, Buzzardpaw struck his claws against the weight, momentarily feeling it lift off of him, but shortly crashing back down. A cat was pinning him down intentionally and they were definitely trying to kill him. Buzzardpaw felt his senses grow even fuzzier, Buzzardpaw finally accepted his defeat, his head falling to the sandy ground. _I'm sorry everyone. I've failed you._

Suddenly, the weight was lifted off of him and the water churned around him faster. Buzzardpaw weakly tried to find his way to the surface, but a hard paw crashed into his face, sending him back to the river's floor. His body thudded against the sandy bottom, his body falling limp. Miraculously, Buzzardpaw felt teeth clamp around his scruff and drag him upwards. Once he broke the surface Buzzardpaw gasped for air, his breaths coming out in ragged coughs. Weakly opening his eyes, he blinked at Darkendstreak who had placed him onto the ground, thrumming her paws against his chest. The black warrior she was speaking with earlier looked on in shock, his amber eyes flashing with fear. Buzzardpaw's throat burned as he vomited the black sludge, the thick liquid staining chest and paws. Darkendstreak stopped pumping his chest, a relieved expression in her eyes.

Buzzardpaw weakly turned his head back to the water, shocked to see Eaglepaw and Spottedpaw fighting viciously. Spottedpaw had a long gash on his head and his ears were shredded, and Eaglepaw barely looked affected, his eyes blazing with fury. The sludge around the apprentices turned red, the crimson ominously mixing with the black muck. It was obvious that the ShadowClan apprentice was winning the fight, and with a yowl of fear, Spottedpaw leapt onto the river bank and dashed away deeper into the forest, his tail tucked between his legs. Eaglepaw slowly climbed out after him, crouching next to Buzzardpaw with wide eyes.

"I'll never let him hurt you again, _ever_." The tom mewed, thick clumps of goop falling from his pelt and splashing onto the floor. "I'll always protect you Buzzardpaw, you don't have to worry."

Buzzardpaw gave Eaglepaw a small smile, slowly regaining control over his body. He opened his mouth to thank him, but a torrent of sludge poured out, making him shudder. Darkendstreak looked on, whipping his head towards the black warrior.

"You need to better discipline your apprentice, Toadstalk." She hissed in his face, her tail lashing. The tom modded fearfully, dashing in the direction that spotted paw had run. Darkendstreak grunted, padding closer to the two apprentices. She looked down at Buzzardpaw, her eyes flashing with sympathy and something else. _Is that… fear? But what could _Darkendstreak _of all cats_ _be afraid of?_ His thoughts were interrupted by the she-cat's voice. "I think it's obvious that tonight's training is over." Her body began to fade, and Buzzardpaw closed his eyes. "StarClan, I'm going to be in so much trouble." He heard her voice mumble right before she had disappeared completely.

Buzzardpaw opened his eyes to the apprentice's den, moonlight streaming in through the entrance. His body ached, and sludge dripped from his pelt into his nest, but he couldn't shake off a nagging question.

_Why would Darkenedstreak be in trouble?_


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Half a moon had passed since Buzzardpaw's swimming lesson in the Dark Forest. He remembered Goldenstar crashing into his den that morning, a wide fearful expression in his eyes as he looked at his soggy and beaten son. Buzzardpaw remembered how worried Goldenstar had sounded when he questioned him, and how proud he had looked when Buzzardpaw told him that Eaglepaw saved him. Buzzardpaw tilted his head at this. _Why was he so happy about that?_

Now Buzzardpaw was out in the forest, hunting with Russetprowl. The two had caught a nice amount of prey, with Buzzardpaw dragging two mice and a thrush, and Russetprowl carrying a fat squirrel. Hunting was never Buzzardpaw's strong suit, but Newleaf meant abundant prey and warmth, meaning even the clumsiest cats could catch themselves a meal. Buzzardpaw's sprained foot had healed completely, and he was happy that he could finally venture outside of the camp and train with his mentor. The two toms padded through the thorn barrier and dropped their catches onto the well stocked freshkill pile.

Russetprowl nodded at the stock, his eyes flashing with approval. "We get any more, the darn thing may just topple over. Good job Buzzardpaw. You're free to do whatever ya want for the rest of the day." Buzzardpaw nodded in thanks to his mentor, then sat down, wondering what to do.

The camp was lively, many cats eating together or sharing gossip. Buzzardpaw spotted Newtwhisper's kits playing around the apprentice's den their flailing paws kicking up sand and dust. With an amused twitch of his whiskers, Buzzardpaw padded towards them, immediately ceasing their play.

"Hi Buzzardpaw!" Brindlekit squeaked, stepping off of his sister. Springkit rolled on the ground, her cream pelt covered in sand and moss. Softkit sat a few mouse lengths away, her blue eyes peeking sheepishly at Buzzardpaw.

"Hello." Buzzardpaw mewed, sitting down in front of them. "What game are you guys playing?"

"Pin Springkit!" Brindlekit mewed, leaping onto his sister. Springkit squealed and tried to kick him off, but instead kicked Softkit, who yelped in shock. Springkit peered at her sister from under her brother and stuck her tongue out.

Buzzardpaw chuckled at their playing, his laughing cut off by a loud wheeze from his nose. He felt his chest tighten, making it hard to breathe. Blinking rapidly, he opened his jaws to gulp in more air, to no avail. The playing kits noticed his state, stopping their game to look at him with concerned eyes. He opened his mouth to reassure them, but instead was met by a fit of coughing. Not again! Ever since his water training, Buzzardpaw found it hard to breathe at times. He didn't think much of it, not wanting to bother Speckledlight with something small, but sometimes the attacks were so intense he could barely even see. It happened mostly when he exerted himself too much, but sometimes happened when he was simply sitting down. Russetprowl had expressed concern about it, but Buzzardpaw shrugged it off. Finally, the coughing fit ended as soon as it came, and he was able to catch his breath. He blinked at the kits apologetically. "Sorry about that. Got something in my throat." He looked around for something to change the subject, and blinked at Softkit who was sitting a ways away.

Buzzardpaw looked at the she-kit, who had turned away from the two to drag her paws through the sand. Peering closer, Buzzardpaw realized that she was drawing something, though he couldn't tell what it was. Buzzardpaw tilted his head. "Whatcha doing?"

Softkit shrieked and slid her paws dramatically over the sand, wiping the drawing away. She looked up at Buzzardpaw, the same sheepish look in her eyes. "Um… nothing."

"Why don't you play with your siblings?"

Springkit answered for her, still wrestling with her brother. "Because she's boring! She just wants to sit around and draw!"

Buzzardpaw smiled at Softkit, who was looking at her sister with an annoyed expression. "I wish I had siblings I could play with." Buzzardpaw mewed. "I bet it's so much fun."

"You can play with us!" Brindlekit mewed, leaping off his sister. Springkit took the opportunity to pin him, smushing his head into the sandy hollow. Brindlekit kept talking, his voice muffled. "You're cool!"

Buzzardpaw chuckled, shaking his head. "No, I'm much too big to play with you guys. I bet I could crush you with my paw."

"Nuh-uh!" Brindlekit squeaked, leaping onto him. Buzzardpaw pretended to fall to the ground, letting the kit pin him. Springkit leapt on afterwards, swatting at his face. Buzzardpaw glanced at Softkit, who was still in the same spot as before.

"Don't you want to play?" Buzzardpaw mewed to her, lifting his head. Springkit immediately pushed it back down, making him chuckle.

"She never wants to play fun games!" The Springkit mewed, her whiskers twitching. "And she told me that she likes you!"

Softkit leapt to her paws, crashing into Springkit and throwing her off of the apprentice. "No I don't!" She squeaked, her face turning red. Springkit easily threw her off of her, then pinned her down too. Buzzardpaw smiled at them, placing his head back on the ground. His smile quickly faded as he noticed a figure sitting at the top of the gorge. Gently pushing Brindlekit off of him, he narrowed his eyes at the figure, who seemed to be staring back at him. Without a word, he bolted for the camp's entrance, ignoring the protests from the playing kits.

Running along the edge of the gorge, Buzzardpaw got closer, the cat coming into clear view. _It's that cat from before! _The mottled tom was still peering into the gorge, his tail twitching in Buzzardpaw's direction in acknowledgement. Buzzardpaw halted mouse lengths away from him, his eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?" Buzzardpaw growled. "I thought I told you to not come back."

"You didn't say that." Orion mewed, his eyes still on the cats below. Buzzardpaw was unsure how literally _no cat_ noticed him. The tom had a very peculiar sweet scent about him that surely didn't smell like ThunderClan. Orion finally turned to Buzzardpaw, a playful look in his eyes. "I came here for you, actually."

Buzzardpaw's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For me? Why?"

Orion circled around him, whisking his tail over Buzzardpaw's shoulders and nose. "Because we're friends, duh!" He pretended to pout. "Don't tell me you treat all of your friends like this."

"I have no friends." Buzzardpaw growled, watching the tom circle him. "Even if I did, you certainly wouldn't be one of them."

The dappled tom scoffed, holding a paw up to his chest. "That hurts, mister None of Your Business, truely." The camp's thorn entrance twitched, making Orion's whiskers twitch. "Say, we should talk somewhere else." He mewed, turning towards the forest. "Come on!"

Buzzardpaw remained where he was, his tail lashing. "I'd rather not."

"Fine. Guess I'll just have to hunt in your territory then."

Before Buzzardpaw could retort, Orion whisked away deeper into the forest, his long tail flowing behind him. Unsheathing his claws in frustration, Buzzardpaw raced after the tom, muttering to himself. _That mouse brained cat!_

Buzzardpaw finally caught up to the tom, who was peering over the stream that marked the WindClan border. BUzzardpaw leapt onto the tom, making him yowl in shock.

"I'm getting tired of your games, rogue." He hissed in the tom's face, his just a whisker length away from Orion's. Buzzardpaw felt his pelt flush with anger as the tom simply stared back at him mischievously.

Orion pressed his paws against Buzzardpaw's chest, fluttering his eyelids. "Why, I do like getting roughed up every once and awhile, but normally the toms warn me first." Buzzardpaw wrinkled his nose in confusion, and Orion used the opportunity to fling the bigger tom off of him. "Gosh, you're heavy." The dappled tom mewed, shaking the dust from his pelt. He turned back towards the WindClan border, beckoning Buzzardpaw over with his tail. "Come on, we're wasting daylight!"

"I'm not going." Buzzardpaw mewed, sitting on the ground. His whiskers twitched as he glared at the tom before him.

"Why not?"

"Because you're a rogue. How could I know if you're tricking me or not?"

Orion scoffed, stepping closer. "Oh, please. I'd never raise a claw to that pretty face of yours." Buzzardpaw's whiskers twitched in irritation. _Does he only speak through flirting? StarClan this tom is weird! _"Besides, I'm sure you dont want to spend the rest of your day playing with kits like some dumb queen."

Buzzardpaw bristled. "There's nothing wrong with spending time with kits."

The sleek tom hummed , his tail rising behind him. "I guess that's true." He shrugged. "Suit yourself then. While you waste your time kit-sitting, I'll be going on an _adventure_." He crossed the WindClan border, bounding away.

Buzzardpaw stared after the tom, conflicted. It was true, he didn't have anything better to do, and would much rather be outside instead of the boring, stuffy camp. Hissing to himself, he shook his head. _StarClan, am I really debating this? The answer is obvious!_ He turned his back to the border and began his trek back home, glancing behind him one last time. Orion was just a speck on the horizon now. Closing his eyes, Buzzardpaw raced off, his tail whipping behind him.

Buzzardpaw's black paws pounded against the grassy moor as he pelted after the tom, the wind racing through his fur and roaring past his ears. He halted, suddenly realizing what he had done. _I crossed the border! I'm in WindClan territory now!_ Turning his body back to the ThunderClan border, Buzzardpaw felt his heart fill with dread as he saw a WindClan patrol head towards the area that he had left. _No turning back now…_ He continued to race after Orion, finally catching up to the tom, who had a sly look on his face.

"Took you long enough." He mewed, his yellow eyes flashing towards Buzzardpaw.

Buzzardpaw fell into step with the tom, grunting. "Whatever. Where are we going?"

Orion grinned. "To the barn. There's some pretty cool cats there." Buzzardpaw grew silent, feeling slightly guilty. _What am I doing? _He was broken from his thoughts by Orion, who was still speaking. "Say, since we're friends now, do you mind telling me your name?"

"Buzzardpaw." Buzzardpaw mewed reluctantly.

"Ruzzardraw? Well that's interesting."

"_Buzzardpaw_!" He mewed more clearly, glancing at the tom. Orion's whiskers were twitching in amusement, making Buzzardpaw groan inwardly. _He's messing with me. StarClan, why did I agree to come?_

"I'm just messing with you." Orion purred, his pace getting quicker. "Look ahead. Do you see that large red building? We're almost there."

Buzzardpaw peered ahead, the Twoleg structure coming into view. It looked broken down and old, the red paint a ruddy brown. The place didn't smell of Twolegs, but there were many structures around it that were obviously built by them. The two toms came to a fence which Orion leapt over gracefully. Buzzardpaw clumsily clamored up behind him, finally landing on the other side. What he saw surprised him.

The area within the fence was bustling with cats, many talking to each other or dragging materials around. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened as he saw a few kits playing near the fence, a brown she-cat looking over them fondly. _This place… this place is just like a clan! _He glanced at Orion, who was looking at him with a cheerful look.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Orion purred, his tail tip curling. "There's a lot of cats here, so each house is considered a different section. This section that we're currently in is the general one. All cats of all backgrounds gather here."

The two crossed the clearing, a few cats sniffing at Buzzardpaw curiously. He tried to ignore their gazes, feeling even worse that he was there. They leapt over another fence, coming into another clearing. Orion's positive demeanor quickly changed into a more sneaky one, making Buzzardpaw follow in suit. They hid in the shadows of a nearby bush, making the apprentice raise an eyebrow.

"Why are we hiding?"

Orion hissed at him. "Keep it down!" Buzzardpaw glared as Orion slapped his tail over his mouth. "We aren't supposed to be here. This is the leader's quarters."

"So it is like a clan then!" Buzzardpaw mumbled, his voice barely coherent.

Orion rolled his eyes. "You wish. It's more like a big family. We were all just random loners, fending for ourselves, when this tom came along to 'fix us'. He's the one that organized the sections of the place, and he's also the one that makes sure everyone is fed and taken care of. He's helped us out a lot, and he's promised us a lot more in the future." Orion's eyes became thoughtful. "I've never seen the guy, but he's a pretty big deal, and his closest comrades don't like it when we stray into his section."

Buzzardpaw looked around the clearing, seeing a few cats hanging around. They were all well built and muscular and their eyes gleamed with a cold determination. Squinting, Buzzardpaw noticed a few cats sitting around the farthest corner of the fence, their bodies surrounding something as if they were protecting it. He was unable to tell what it was from there, but with the way the cats stood around it rigidly, he knew that it was important.

"Come on." Orion mewed, slinking from under the bush. Buzzardpaw followed, trying his hardest to not be seen. A she-cat glared in their direction and opened her mouth to speak, but the two toms had already leapt to safety on the other side of the fence. Peering back, he realized that he was closer to the strange group of cats, and could finally see what they were sitting around. The sight confused him greatly.

Four cats were sitting around a body, their backs turned to it as they sat around it protectively. Peering closer, Buzzardpaw could make out that the body was a gray she-cat, who was very obviously dead. Faint red marks streaked through her pelt, but for the majority, her silky fur was clean and shiny. Buzzardpaw starred in horrified amazement. _Why in StarClan's name are they guarding a _dead _body?_

Orion seemed to be asking the same question in his mind, his face scrunched up in confusion. He shook his head then looked up towards the sky. "The sun is setting. And just in time!" The two toms bursted from the bushes, coming into a clearing with yet another barn. A few cats sat at its entrance, dashing towards the toms once they noticed them. Orion's grin returned. "Welcome to my humble abode!"

Buzzardpaw looked around, humming quietly. This barn's fencing area was much smaller than the others, and a few ragged weeds grew along the edges of the creaky wood. Buzzardpaw blinked at the cats as they approached, his pelt bristling slightly.

The four cats halted in front of the two, their faces warm as they gazed at Orion. Orion touched his nose to all of them in greeting, then turned his attention to Buzzardpaw. The cats followed in suit, two of the cats looking uncertain and slightly hostile, and the other two looking thoughtful.

"Everyone, I'd like for you to meet Buzzardpaw." Orion mewed. Buzzardpaw dipped his head awkwardly in greeting, trying to force his pelt to lie flat. _They haven't threatened me yet, so I'm fine. No need to be hostile, Buzzardpaw. _Orion was still talking, pointing to each of the cats with his tail. "Buzzardpaw, this is Snowball," Orion pointed to a snowy white tom with soft blue eyes, "Icey," a snow white she-cat with ice blue eyes, "Argus," a brown and gray tom with a melancholy expression, "and Tom." a tabby brown she-cat with a large frill of fluff around her neck. Buzzardpaw's eyebrow raised at the sound of her name.

"Tom?" He mewed, his head tilting. "That's a she-cat."

"Don't ask." Tom growled, her voice surprisingly deep. Buzzardpaw tried to hide his amused expression.

"Well, hello Buzzardpaw." The white she-cat, Icey, mewed. Her eyes were wide and sparkling as she gazed at him. Buzzardpaw felt slightly uncomfortable under her intense stare, and awkwardly nodded to her. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but notice how familiar she looked. _I think I know this cat from somewhere, but where? _Searching his brain, he shrugged it off. _Ah, I'm just being silly. I know a lot of white cats._

Buzzardpaw looked up to see Argus staring at him. He was wearing a black kittypet collar with small studs on it, and four more studded collars on his ankles. _I've never seen kittypets wear collars on their legs. _The long fur that draped over the tom's eye was oddly painted red, and the rest of his long hair was tied back with some sort of Twoleg rope. Argus was certainly an interesting cat. Buzzardpaw dipped his head to the tom, prompting him to speak. "So, are you Orion's new tom-friend?" His voice was monotonous and bleak, as if he didn't want to be there.

Buzzardpaw felt his pelt grow hot from the embarrassing question. He suddenly realized how awkward it was, with Orion bringing some random tom to meet his family. Buzzardpaw shook his head quickly. "No! We're just…" Orion was looking at him expectantly. _Oh mouse dung! _"..friends." Buzzardpaw mewed at last, earning a quiet 'yes!' from Orion. Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes.

Argus' ears twitched, unimpressed. "That's it? How boring. Just like my life." Buzzardpaw tilted his head in confusion at the last comment. Argus noticed his confused expression and blinked at him a few times. "Existence is pain." The tom mewed matter-of-factly. Buzzardpaw shook his head, still not following. Argus rolled his eyes, turning away. "You don't get it." The brown tom sighed dramatically and walked away, his voice trailing behind him. "No one gets it, and no one gets me."

Buzzardpaw looked at the others, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Tom shrugged her shoulders. "That guy is weird. He just mopes around all day and talks to himself." She hummed thoughtfully. "Though, I probably don't seem that much better, being a she-cat named tom. Sorry Orion decided to introduce you to the misfits first, and not the normal cats."

Orion scoffed, stamping his paw dramatically. "You guys are great! The greatest cats I know."

"The only cats you know, because we're the only cats that put up with you." Icey mumbled quietly, so quiet that only Buzzardpaw could hear. The she-cat was glaring at the tom intensely, her tail lashing behind her. Her gaze flickered between Buzzardpaw and Orion, making Buzzardpaw confused. _Does she have a problem with me? Or him?_

Shaking his thoughts away, Buzzardpaw glanced at Snowball, who was quiet the entire time. The tom was glancing at him shyly, his shoulders hunched. Buzzardpaw gave him a small smile, which the white tom returned awkwardly. Buzzardpaw shifted on his paws, looking up at the sky. The sun had set almost completely, and the shadows around the barn grew longer and darker. Orion seemed to notice his expression and beckoned him over to the barn. Buzzardpaw followed behind him slowly, his ears twitching.

The group emerged into the warm barn, the scent of mice and hay filling Buzzardpaw's nostrils. His mouth watered as he suddenly realized how hungry he was. Blinking, he eyed a small pile of mice not too far from him, which he assumed was the fresh kill pile.

Orion glanced at him, then nodded towards the pile. "Help yourself." Buzzardpaw padded forward hungrily, but stopped at Orion's voice. "Wait, those mice are a bit stale. Wait here so I can catch you a fresh one." Before Buzzardpaw could protest, Orion leapt into a pile of hay, emerging heartbeats later with two mice in his jaws. Buzzardpaw nodded at the catch, impressed. _He's pretty quick!_ Orion dropped the mice in front of him, which Buzzardpaw accepted gratefully. He finished the mice in a few swift bites, then stood to his paws. Orion looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"That was quick. Would you like me to catch you some more?" Orion turned to the haystack, his muscles bunched to leap in.

"No thank you." Buzzardpaw mewed, making Orion rise to his paws. "I was just about to leave."

Orion tilted his head. "Leave? But it's night time! Come on, stay the night. The hay is very comfy."

Buzzardpaw shook his head turning towards the barn entrance where pale light streamed through as the moon slowly rose. "I can't. I shouldn't even be here. Russetprowl would claw my ears off if he found out."

Orion nodded, though seemingly disappointed. "Oh, alright. But at least let me walk you home."

Buzzardpaw nodded, and after saying goodbye, the two toms started their trek to ThunderClan territory. As they crossed the border, Buzzardpaw turned to Orion, nodding.

"Thank you," He mewed. "I can make it from here."

Orion blinked at him, his pelt shimmering in the moonlight. "You'll come visit us again, right?"

Buzzardpaw shook his head, opening his mouth to speak. "N-" He was cut off by rustling bushes, indicating that a cat was nearby. Without a second's notice, Buzzardpaw dashed for the camp, not wanting to be caught. After gaining some distance between the border, Buzzardpaw glanced back to see Orion still standing on the hilltop, his tail curled behind him. Staring for a moment more, BUzzardpaw shook his head, finally reaching the camp.

Crawling in through the dirt place, Buzzardpaw slid into his nest without encountering any cats. He quickly noticed the strange scent of ShadowClan, but was too exhausted to question it. With a tired sigh of relief, the tom sank into the warm moss. _What a day._

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Two chapters in one day! (and a long one at that) Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up by Monday.**

**I absolutely LOVE Orion, so expect a lot more chapters featuring him. He's pretty important to the story as well, so hopefully you'll start to love his character as much as I do.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~Melting Popsicles **


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Let all cats old enough to stalk the shadows gather beneath the High Branch for A clan meeting!"

Eaglepaw mewed a farewell to Quailkit and padded from the freshkill pile, grabbing a small frog as he padded to the group of cats gathering. He had been spending more time with the she-kit ever since her mother's death half a moon ago, and honestly enjoyed her company. _Quailkit hasn't been her usual self ever since Silkyspark's death… and it sure hasn't helped since Viperhiss hasn't returned._

The clan had been on edge since the she-cat's shocking death, especially since her body went missing right before her burial. Cinderpaws and Gorsepaw had been out of camp fetching lavender for the body, and when they returned, Silkyspark's corpse was no longer in the den. Even stranger, a faint rogue scent was detected around Cinderpaws' herb storage, which had sent the gray tom into a frenzy. No cat had noticed any unknown cat sneaking into the camp, which made the situation even more bizarre. Viperhiss had also not returned since he stormed out that night, only adding to the clan's unease. With the strange rogue scent found in the camp, many cats feared that a rogue had gotten to the warrior and stolen Silkyspark's body, for whatever reason. Eaglepaw shuddered at the thought. _Rogues are strange, but what in StarClan's name would they do with a _dead _body?_

Now, Mousestar was holding a meeting to assign him a new mentor. Though he had accepted the offer, Eaglepaw refused to believe that his mentor was dead. _Viperhiss is rough, yeah, but I still care for the tom. I do hope that he's alright, wherever he may be._ He had hoped to see him during his Dark Forest training, but was disappointed to see that he didn't appear there either. Even Darkenedstreak expressed concern about the gray tom's disappearance. _Darkenedstreak…_

Ever since Buzzardpaw had been attacked by Spottedpaw in the mucky river, Eaglepaw and the ThunderClan tom were inseparable, Eaglepaw stepping in every time somecat even looked at him funny. Buzzardpaw did seem annoyed by this, but Eaglepaw felt a certain draw towards the tom that made him want to protect him. _We do share a role in a prophecy after all… and he's-_

His thoughts were cut off by Mousestar, who had continued speaking now that all the cats had gathered. "Good." She mewed, scanning over the clan. "Viperhiss has been missing for four sunrises now, and has left Eaglepaw without a mentor. I will be assigning him a new one now." A few murmurs rippled throughout the crowd. Mousestar's bright green eyes darkened with uncertainty. "I share your concerns about Viperhiss as well, but Eaglepaw must continue his training despite the circumstances. Thus, I have chosen Vulturefeather to be his new mentor." Vulturefeather nodded, as he had been told what was happening prior to the meeting. Eaglepaw padded to the brown tom and touched noses with him, then sat back down.

"We will continue the increased patrols," Mousestar went on, her voice ringing throughout the camp, "to search for Viperhiss and ensure that the rogues stay out of camp."

"And to get back Silkyspark's body!" Valleyskip called from the crowd, standing to his paws. Minnowtail, who was sitting next to him, nodded slowly. Silkyspark was his daughter, and Valleyskip's sister. They had also been greatly affected by the she-cat's death.

Mousestar blinked at the two sympathetically. "And to retrieve Silkyspark's body, so we can give her a proper, honorable burial. Flamescar and I have been discussing this, and we have decided to send patrols to the other clans to ask if they have potentially seen any suspicious rogue activity." Eaglepaw's ears perked. If the other clans had been having problems with rogues as well, a much greater issue could be at hand. He blinked at his mother, who was looking at her deputy. "Flamescar, would you mind sending the patrols now? It's almost sunfall, and it would be best for our cats to return no later than moon high."

Flamescar nodded, his tail neatly wrapped around his paws as he sat under the branch. "No, Mousestar, I do not mind at all."

Mousestar nodded, leaping down from the branch gracefully. "Very well then. Meeting dismissed." As she said this, the crowd of cats broke off into different groups, with some chattering anxiously about the disappearance of Viperhiss and Silkyspark, and the others padding closer to Flamescar to see who he would send to the other clans. Eaglepaw hoped that he would be picked for one of the patrols, but wanted to speak with Quailkit first.

Looking around, he spotted her sitting where he had left her, near the freshkill pile. She had a somber look on her face, her normally pretty, clean pelt unkempt and matted. Eaglepaw picked up his frog, then padded towards her.

"Are you alright?" He mewed, placing the prey down at her paws. "You should eat."

Quailkit continued to stare forward, as if she didn't hear him approach her. After a few heartbeats she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm fine." She looked at the frog, shaking her head. "I'm not hungry.

Eaglepaw frowned. "Come on, Quailkit. You've got to eat something." Quailkit had been eating less since her father's disappearance, and only had a few bites of vole after Cinderpaws' practically shoved it down her throat two sunrises ago. Eaglepaw remembered bristling as he watched the tom treat her roughly, thinking about how he could have been more considerate. _I know he's grieving as well, but he shouldn't treat her that way. She lost her mother, _and _her father disappeared. _ Eaglepaw thought. _At least she has her brother. _Ashkit had been taking his parent's leaving much better than his sister had, being the only cat in camp that could cheer her up. As he thought this, Ashkit bounded towards them, his tail sticking straight up in the air.

"Eaglepaw! Vulturefeather wants you." Ashkit turned to his sister, patting her flank affectionately. "Come on Quailkit! Swifpaw wants to talk to us."

"Swiftpaw?" Quailkit mewed quietly. "But why?"

Eaglepaw didn't hear Ashkit's answer, as he had walked away to find his mentor. Vulturefeather was sitting near Flamescar, who was assigning the patrols to go to the other clans.

"Evergreenstride, Valleyskip, and Oatblossom," The flame colored tom was saying, "You three will be going to RiverClan." Eaglepaw sat down next to Vulturefeather, wondering what the tom wanted with him. "Nettleclaw, Velvetowl, and Flowerpaw, you'll go to WindClan, and Heatherflight, Vulturefeather, and Eaglepaw, you three will go to ThunderClan." _Oh yay! I get to see Buzzardpaw! _"Remember, you're going to ask if the other clans have seen any suspicious activity, then report back. Do not take any further action until you have done so. Got it?" The cats nodded in response. "Then off you go."

Eaglepaw turned to Vulturefeather, who was speaking with Heatherflight. The two warriors seemed to notice his staring, stopping their conversation to blink at him.

"We'll head out after the other patrols." Vulturefeather mewed, blinking kindly at Eaglepaw. "I would just like to get a word in with Mousestar first."

Eaglepaw nodded, sitting down next to Heatherflight. The she-cat was looking at him with an odd expression, making Eaglepaw's pelt prickle with unease. He stared at his paws but couldn't shake off her intense gaze. _Why is she staring at me like that?_

To his relief, Vulturefeather returned shortly, signaling with his tail for the small patrol to follow him out of camp. Heartherflight walked behind Eaglepaw, her gaze still boring through the apprentice. Becoming annoyed, Eaglepaw sped up to walk next to his mentor.

"Will we be starting training tomorrow?" Eaglepaw mewed, trying his hardest to ignore the she-cat behind him.

Vulturefeather nodded. "Yes, we can work on battle training. I'm sure Viperhiss has taught you well, but since you haven't trained in half a moon, you've probably become a little rusty."

Eaglepaw nodded, his eyes blank. With his intense training in the Dark Forest nearly every night, his fighting skills could never become rusty. He winced as he thought about the previous night's training, and how Darkenedstreak had nicked his ear when he couldn't understand how to execute a difficult move.

The three had reached the ThunderClan border, and Vulturefeather stopped abruptly. He lifted his head to see if a ThunderClan patrol was nearby. Eaglepaw peered through the dense undergrowth to see Nettleclaw's patrol pad along the lake's shore. Their trek to WindClan would take a while, and Eaglepaw blinked gratefully. _It's good I'm not with that patrol, otherwise I would be tired tonight. _He shuddered. _And I sure don't want to face Darkenedstreak's fury!_

The bracken on the other side of the border rustled violently, indicating that a patrol was coming. Shortly, Dragonflywing, Dingomuzzle, Russetprowl and Koipatch burst through, their faces alert. Dragonflywing noticed them first, and began to bristle.

"What are you three doing so close to our border?" The tom growled, his pelt bristling. His eyes flashed in anger as he noticed Eaglepaw, making him smirk. Eaglepaw had left a nasty gash on his shoulder a few nights ago, and now Eaglepaw could see the pink scar wriggling like a snake every time the warrior moved.

"We've come to speak with your leader." Vulturefeather mewed, keeping his voice calm. "May we please pass?"

"What do you need to speak with him about?" Dingomuzzle asked, his voice low. Eaglepaw was wary of the muscular tom. Dingomuzzle had bested him in a fight, almost blinding him when he scratched at his eyes. Eaglepaw lifted his chin, trying to seem dignified.

"There seems to be a lot of rogue activity on our territory, and Mousestar wanted to ask if ThunderClan has experienced this as well." Eaglepaw admired how cool Vulturefeather's tone was, despite the hostility radiating off of the two ThunderClan toms. _Training with Vulturefeather will be completely different from my sessions with Viperhiss, that's for sure._

Dragonflywing opened his mouth to speak, but Russetprowl cut him off by lifting his tail. "Now, before you gon' an' open your mouth an' make things worse Dragonflywing," The red tom mewed, his amber eyes glowing. "Why don't we hear these folks out? They ain't doin' any harm now, are they?" He looked at Koipatch, who gave him a small nod. He nodded back, then turned back to the ShadowClan patrol. "Now, y'all come follow us, an' we'll take ya to Goldn'star." Eaglepaw wrinkled his nose at the tom's funny accent, trying his hardest not to laugh. _Buzzardpaw has an interesting mentor, that's for sure._

The ShadowClan patrol crossed the border and followed behind Russetprowl, prompting Dingomuzzle and Koipatch to walk by their flanks and Dragonflywing to take the rear. The tom swatted at Eaglepaw's rump, making him yelp. Vulturefeather whipped around and gave the warrior a warning glare, but the black and white tom simply smirked then motioned around, as if reminding him where he was. Vulturefeather grunted and continued walking, pressing close to Eaglepaw.

"And don't you dare put a whisker out of line!" Dragonflywing yowled obnoxiously loudly, making Eaglepaw flatten his ears in irritation. _I'll show him. _

The patrol eventually reached the ThunderClan camp, padding through the thorn barrier into the sandy clearing. Eaglepaw immediately became aware of the hostile looks thrown his way and tried his hardest to not glare back. He instead tried to look for Buzzardpaw, gazing around the large camp. _Which den is the apprentice's den?_

A kit looked at him curiously, bounding up to him.

"Hey look!" The cream tabby tom mewed. "It's Buzzardpaw!" Eaglepaw looked around curiously, but did not see the apprentice anywhere. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Buzzardpaw?" The other two mewed in unison. The ran forward as well, their expressions becoming dejected as they got closer. _Wait, they think that _I'm _Buzzardpaw? Idiot kits! I don't even look like him!_

"That's not Buzzardpaw, mouse brain!" A rose colored she-cat mewed, batting her brother over the head. "That's-"

"A ShadowClan cat." A deep voice finished for her, making Eaglepaw look up. Goldenstar stood before the patrol, his eyes narrowed in confusion. He stared into Eaglepaw's eyes, making him shudder. _Oh, I wish he wouldn't look at me like that! _The ThunderClan stared at him for a moment more, then finally addressed the patrol.

"Russetprowl, what are ShadowClan cats doing here?"

"They-"

"I'm the leader of the patrol, so I get to answer!" Dragonflywing mewed from behind the cats, roughly pushing past Eaglepaw to address his leader. Russetprowl looked at the tom with an annoyed look, but did not protest. _Seems like even ThunderClan cats think Dragonflywing is annoying. _"They wanted to know if we've seen rogues on our territory."

Goldenstar's eyebrows furrowed. "There was the scent of a rogue a quarter moon ago, but Buzzardpaw chased it off." Eaglepaw perked at the sound of the other tom's name. _Buzzardpaw chased off a rogue? That's so cool! _"Has there been a problem with rogues in ShadowClan?"

"We smelled their scent in our medicine den!" Eaglepaw mewed, not thinking. "They took Silkyspark's body. Also Vip-'' Vulturefeather bumped into his shoulder roughly, cutting him off. HIs mentor was staring at him sternly. _Did I say too much?_

Goldenstar recoiled in shock. "Slikyspark passed?"

Vulturefeather nodded gravely, speaking before Eaglepaw could. "She passed while kitting. We only came here to see if ThunderClan has witnessed any suspicious activity recently."

The ThunderClan leader shook his head. "Other than that one incident, we have not. Though, it makes you wonder what in StarClan's name a rogue could do with a deceased body."

"Well, you know what _I'm_ wondering?" Dragonflywing shouted, pushing himself into the conversation once more. Eaglepaw's tail lashed in irritation. _We don't care about what you're wondering, mouse brain! _He couldn't say this however, because Dragonflywing continued speaking. "I'm wondering how ShadowClan cats can be so _stupid_ that they dont even notice a body being carried out of their camp! I mean, how does that even happen?"

Vulturefeather stepped towards the smug looking tom, thrusting his hissing face into Dragonflywing's. Before he could deliver a stinging retort, Russetprowl pushed his way between the warriors, separating them. Smirking, Dragonflywing opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by Goldenstar lifting his tail to silence him. The large tabby tom sighed, blinking apologetically at the ShadowClan cats.

"ThunderClan sends their condolences to ShadowClan." Goldenstar mewed, dipping his head. "Tell Mousestar that ThunderClan has not seen any rogue activity, but if things ever escalate, she will always have ThunderClan as allies to aid her."

Vulturefeather nodded, his eyebrows furrowed. "Thank you, Goldenstar, though that won't be necessary. ShadowClan can defend itself."

Goldenstar hummed, turning his gaze back to Eaglepaw. Eaglepaw stared into his golden eyes, his own blinking back knowingly. Goldenstar flicked his tail to a cream colored tom who was sitting nearby. "Palecloud and Russetprowl, could you escort ShadowClan back to their territory?" The tom nodded, flanking the ShadowClan cats and leading them to the thorn entrance. Eaglepaw glanced back to see Goldenstar staring back at him, an indescribable expression on his face. A small dappled she-cat sat next to the massive leader, looking tiny in comparison. She noticed what Goldenstar was looking at, and turned her head to glare at Eaglepaw, sending a chill up his spine. _Jeez, what did I do to her? _He was cut from his thoughts by Vulturefeather placing his tail over his shoulders, leading him out of the camp.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Chapter 15! Sorry I couldnt get it posted yesterday, but here it is! There will be a pretty big reveal next chapter, so make sure you stay tuned for that! I'll have it posted by Thursday.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Buzzardpaw opened his eyes to the Dark Forest, the dim light from the green mushrooms filling the clearing he woke in with an eerie glow. Eaglepaw was sitting next to him, his ears perked as he gazed deeper into the forest. The ShadowClan tom turned his head to him, padding closer.

Buzzardpaw groaned inwardly. Ever since Spottedpaw had attacked him in the mucky river, Eaglepaw tried his hardest to stay as close as he possibly could to Buzzardpaw, speaking up if the spotted brown tom even looked at him funny. _I know he's just looking out for me, but I can take care of myself! Spottedpaw just caught me off guard, that's all._ This was somewhat true, though Buzzardpaw couldn't say that he was stronger than the RiverClan apprentice. After the water incident, Darkendstreak made a point to make Spottedpaw and Buzzardpaw duel against each other during battle training, with both toms being equally matched and unable to best the other. Spottedpaw had gotten real close the previous night, but Darkendstreak had stepped in before he could claim victory.

Buzzardpaw looked around the dark clearing, trying to catch any movement that signaled that she-cat was around. There was none, however, and Buzzardpaw relaxed.

"I went to your camp today." Eaglepaw mewed, idly licking his paw and drawing it over his ears.

Buzzardpaw perked. "Really? Why?"

"Rogues have been crossing in and out of our territory. They…" Eaglepaw trailed off, as if he wanted to say more, but was unsure.

Buzzardpaw tilted his head, thinking about his time at the barn. The rogues there seemed friendly enough, except those in the "leader's" area. His eyes widened in realization. _It couldn't be Orion, could it? _"What did they do?"

"They took a clanmate." Eaglepaw mewed at last, looking indecisive.

Buzzardpaw's eyes widened, almost looking like moons. "As a hostage?" _Could Orion be capable of taking some cat hostage? _Buzzardpaw shuddered at the thought. The dappled tom seemed carefree and nonchalant, not the type that would steal another cat. He narrowed his eyes, angry with himself. _I knew I shouldn't have affiliated with the rogues._

Before Eaglepaw could answer, Darkenedstreak materialized in front of the two toms, her ears twitching. She had a thoughtful look on her face, and when her form finally became whole, Buzzardpaw noticed a long scratch on her flank that wasn't there before. Tilting his head, he blinked at her, and she blinked back.

"Sorry I'm late." She mewed after a moment of silence. "I was… handling something." _Why does that sound so ominous?_

Eaglepaw nodded at the she-cat, his eyes flashing. "What are we working on today?"

She answered his question by padding deeper into the forest. Buzzardpaw followed with Eaglepaw close by, so close that their pelts brushed. Spottedpaw had a habit of ambushing Buzzardpaw while he walked through the woods, and Eaglepaw had caught on quickly. Buzzardpaw was truly grateful for the other tom's concern, but couldn't push away the twinge of annoyance he felt every time Eaglepaw stepped in. _He has good intentions, but it's embarrassing how he has to protect me all the time! _Buzzardpaw nodded to himself. _I have to get stronger! That way, Eaglepaw won't have to worry about me anymore._

The three cats emerged in a small clearing surrounded by towering trees. Buzzardpaw immediately recognized the area, groaning inwardly. _Tree climbing. _Without a word, the two apprentices began to haul themselves up the massive tree, its splintering bark digging into their paw pads. Feeling his chest tighten, Buzzarpaw's eyes widened in alarm and he leapt onto a sturdy looking branch. He couldn't see Darkenedstreak from here, but he knew she would want him to climb up higher, and readied himself to climb the tree's trunk again. Instead of being able to climb, Buzzardpaw began to cough loudly, his body shuddering with each sharp bark. Eaglepaw had stopped his climbing to look down at him, his eyes flashing with concern. Buzzardpaw waved him off with his tail, his coughing now just a quiet wheeze. The ShadowClan tom nodded and continued his trek up the tree, disappearing in the dark branches.

Digging his claws into his branch, Buzzardpaw steadied himself, catching his breath. He quickly realized that he wasn't alone. Something moved behind the tree's massive trunk, making the branches on the other side dip and sway. Buzzardpaw tilted his head, trying to get a look at what the disturbance was coming from. _There's no prey here, right? Then what in StarClan's name could that be?_

His question was shortly answered as a cat stepped into his view, their dark green eyes glowing as they stared at him. Buzzardpaw stared back, his eyes narrowing. _Spottedpaw. _The brown apprentice maneuvered himself around the tree trunk, placing his paws onto the branch that Buzzardpaw was sitting on. It dipped and swayed underneath his weight.

"Hello, Buzzard_kit_. You sick?" Spottedpaw mewed, his voice icy.

"No, I-"

"Oh, I don't really care to know." Spottedpaw rudely interrupted, his eyes glittering. "But say, that's a nice branch you've got there." He pushed his weight onto the branch, causing it to sag more. Buzzardpaw dug his claws in deeper, not knowing what Spottedpaw was going to do next. "Though, it seems it can't support the both of us. Maybe you should move."

Buzzardpaw glared at the RiverClan apprentice, baring his teeth at him. "I found this branch first, you'll have to go somewhere else."

Spottedpaw clicked his tongue a few times, shaking his head. "Tsk, I'm afraid that I cannot, Buzzy. I've been climbing this tree all night, and I really need a place to rest."

Buzzardpaw grunted, his tail lashing in annoyance. "Too bad. You'll have to climb up higher to find another branch, like Eaglepaw did."

Buzzardpaw noticed Spottedpaw bristling slightly, fighting to keep his voice calm. "But I really want this one. Please, Buzz-Buzz? I _promise I won't_ mess with you anymore." His last statement came out as a purr, letting Buzzardpaw know that he was bluffing.

Buzzardpaw scoffed at him, lifting his chin. "Fat chance."

Spottedpaw's eyes flashed, and for a heartbeat, Buzzardpaw was sure he would strike him. He was surprised however, to hear Spottedpaw's calm mew. "Fine. Have it your way then." The RiverClan tom climbed back up the trunk of the tree, resting on a branch right above Buzzardpaw's. Buzzardpaw smirked, his chest puffed out in victory. His triumph was short lived however, as Spottedpaw had leapt down from the higher branch onto Buzzardpaw's, filling the silent forest with a loud, echoey crack.

Buzzardpaw yowled in fear as his branch began to plummet to the ground. He wasn't close enough to the tree's trunk to leap to safety like Spottedpaw, who was grasping the thick tree tightly as he watched Buzzardpaw's decent. Buzzardpaw flailed his claws around, trying to grab onto another branch as they raced past him. The ground was rushing up to meet him, and in one final attempt to save himself, Buzzardpaw flung out paws, barely grabbing onto a low hanging branch. His hind paws dangled in the air below him, scrabbling to grab a hold of the trunk. He clung onto the flimsy wood tightly, his back aching from the sharp twigs and splinters he crashed into as he fell. He was still high above the ground but could see Darkendstreak clearly, who was racing towards him with wide eyes.

"What in Tigerstar's name happened to you?" She yowled, coming closer to the tree.

Buzzardpaw swung his back paws, making the weak branch he was holding creak and groan. When he heard the branch snap, he used his momentum to launch himself at the tree trunk, quickly making his descent down to the soggy floor. His eyes were wide and fearful as he looked at his mentor.

"Spottedpaw… He purposefully made the branch I was sitting on fall!"

Darkendstreak's tail lashed angrily. "Oh, that foxheart!" She sniffed Buzzardpaw's body. "Are you hurt?"

Buzzardpaw shook his head, blinking the dizziness away. Though he was in a state of shock, he wasn't hurt badly and felt that he could continue training for the night. _I have to prove myself! _He tried to stop his body from trembling.

Darkendstreak gave a disbelieving grunt, but beckoned with her tail for him to follow anyways. "Come on then, we still have time. I'll collect Eaglepaw, you go to the training hollow."

Buzzardpaw nodded, his paws shaky. He eventually emerged in the clearing, a few cats battling along the outskirts. Buzzardpaw took in deep breaths, finally calming himself down. He rose as Darkendstreak appeared with Eaglepaw and Rippleclaw in tow. Buzzardpaw narrowed his eyes at the RiverClan warrior. The blue colored tom met his gaze, a small smirk on his face.

Darkendstreak approached him. "Rippleclaw will be your opponent for tonight. I expect this fight to go better than the last one." Her comment sounded more like a warning than encouragement.

Buzzardpaw and Rippleclaw faced each other closer to the edge of the clearing, their hackles raised. A small movement in the nearby undergrowth caught his attention, but he snapped back into focus at Darkendstreak's hiss.

"Ready? Begin!"

Buzzardpaw leapt at Rippleclaw, swiping his unsheathed claws at his head. The warrior dodged at the last second, lunging at him. Buzzardpaw was fast on his paws, whipping his body around to met Rippleclaw's face with his own head. Rippleclaw crumbled from the impact, hissing in agony as his face crunched against the apprentice's hard skull. Buzzardpaw winced from the attack as well, leaping back to regain his composure.

Buzzardpaw dashed at the stunned warrior again, feigning for his left but actually hitting his right flank, barely avoiding the warrior's jaws snapping for his throat. Buzzardpaw painted in shock, crouching down. _He could have killed me! _Rippleclaw glowered at him, his tail lashing angrily. Buzzardpaw bunched his muscles, leaping into the air as the RiverClan tom charged at him. He kicked Rippleclaw's cheek as he passed beneath him, earning a loud hiss from his opponent. Before he could retaliate, Buzzardpaw grasped Rippleclaw's hindquarters with his front paws, pinning his bottom half to the ground. He prepared to land a stinging bite to the tom's spine, but was stunned by a swift blow to his head. _What the?_

It was impossible for Rippleclaw to hit him in this position. Buzzardpaw whipped his head to the dense undergrowth, the dark fronds shivering as if something were hiding in them. Before Buzzardpaw could investigate, Rippleclaw came crashing down on him, grasping his scruff in his jaws. Buzzardpaw struggled under the warrior's strength, bucking and kicking in an attempt to dislodge him. Remembering a technique Darkendstreak had taught him, Buzzardpaw thrusted his rump into the warrior's belly, pushing his weight into his forepaws and throwing himself backwards. Rippleclaw fell onto his back from the force of the move, with Buzzardpaw resting on the blue tom's belly. Buzzardpaw quickly leapt off of the warrior and lifted his paw, bringing it crashing down onto the tom's soft chest fur. Before he could sink his claws in, a weight barreled into him at full force, throwing him off and pinning him. Buzzardpaw kicked his new attacker off and wrestled with him, coming face to face with none other than Spottedpaw.

The two apprentices slashed viciously at each other, blood and fur flying everywhere as they brawled. Buzzardpaw yelped as Spottedpaw grasped his neck fur in his jaws, sinking his teeth into the thick fluff. Buzzardpaw kicked feebly, trying his hardest to escape. He felt sharp blows to his belly, indicating that Rippleclaw was attacking him as well. _They're both trying to kill me! _

"Stop!" Darkendstreak's voice yowled, Rippleclaw's assault on his belly immediately ceasing. Spottedpaw however, only sunk his teeth in deeper, making blood gush as he had finally reached Buzzardpaw's neck. Buzzardpaw gasped in shock and pain, kicking the spotted tom as hard as he could. He felt the familiar tightening in his chest, leading to a loud fit of coughing and wheezing. Weakened by his coughing, Buzzardpaw gave up trying to get Spottedpaw off of him, his own blood soaking the RiverClan apprentice's pelt.

Suddenly, Spottedpaw flew across the clearing, thrown off by Eaglepaw. Buzzardpaw rolled onto his paws, still coughing, causing blood to spurt from his neck wound. It hurt badly, but he could tell it wasn't deep enough to be fatal. _Thank Starclan!_

Spottedpaw and Eaglepaw faced each other, the hackles raised and pelts bristling. Spottedpaw's teeth were stained with blood as he glared at the ShadowClan tom.

"Let me finish what I started!" Spottedpaw hissed, spitting blood out with each word.

"Over my dead body!" Eaglepaw growled, bunching his muscles. Spottedpaw lunged for him, but quickly twisted in the air, landing only a whisker length from Buzzardpaw. The spotted tom lifted his paw to land a stinging blow on him, but was thrown to the ground by Darkendstreak.

"I've had enough of this!" She hissed, her voice echoing through the forest. Her dark amber eyes glowed red, sending a shudder down Buzzardpaw's spine. Spottedpaw's aggressive demeanor changed into a more fearful one, and he dashed for the woods as quickly as his paws could take him. Just before he escaped, Darkendstreak faded away then reappeared on top of him, pinning him down. The spotted tom's emerald eyes shone with fear, and his eyes widened to the size of moons. Darkenedstreak grabbed his scruff roughly with her jaws, wrenching his head up and exposing his throat. She dangled her claws dangerously near the soft flesh, her shadowy claws reflecting the sickly green light. Spottedpaw's eyes grew impossibly wider, practically filling his entire face. Tears burst from his green optics, and his blood covered maw trembled fearfully. Darkenedstreak beckoned Buzzardpaw closer with her tail, and Buzzardpaw reluctantly shuffled towards them.

"Kill him." Darkenedstreak's mew was barely audible, though Buzzardpaw couldn't tell if it was from her mouthful of fur, or the blood rushing through his ears. _She wants me to kill him? I can't do that!_

"I…"

"Kill him." Darkendstreak repeated, her voice calm.

"I cant!"

Darkendstreak blinked at him, her red eyes looking too small for their sockets. The sight was extremely frightening, and Buzzardpaw began to tremble almost as much as Spottedpaw. "Think about all the times he's tried to hurt you, to _kill_ you." She mewed, biting into the apprentices scruff harder. Blood began to well around her jaws. "Why is this any different? This is just revenge."

_I don't want revenge! _Buzzardpaw wanted to scream, but his jaws wouldn't move. His tongue felt too big for his mouth, and his paws felt like they were rooted to the spot. He wrenched his head to Rippleclaw, who was staring at him with a horrified expression. Eaglepaw's eyes were wide, but something glinted in them, as if he was wondering if Buzzardpaw was capable of doing it. _I'm not! ...Am I?_

Darkendstreak was still staring at him, her pupils turning into odd swirls. Her eyes spun around in her skull, making Buzzardpaw dizzy. She spoke again, though this time her mouth didn't move. "Kill him. Kill him. Kill him." Her voice in his head grew louder and louder, to the point where he couldn't bear it anymore. Spottedpaw stared at Buzzardpaw as he unwillingly inched towards him, the tears pouring from his eyes even faster. The brown and white apprentice's eyes pleaded with him, and Buzzardpaw regained control of his body for a heartbeat, sheathing his claws back into his pads. The unseen force was stronger though, and forced them back out, making him stand directly in front of Spottedpaw. As soon as the force came, it disappeared, and Buzzardpaw had regained control of his body again. He stared into Spottedpaw's eyes, who stared back at him pathetically. Without a word, Buzzardpaw sliced his claws across the apprentice's neck, breaking the skin and splattering blood over his paws and the forest floor.

Spottedpaw's enormous eyes widened in shock, a disgusting gurgling sound came from his throat as he tried to scream. Darkenedstreak let go of the apprentice's scruff, sending his head crashing to the bloody ground. Buzzardpaw stared at the jerking body before him with wide eyes, his vision becoming blurry with tears. _What have I done? StarClan, what have I done!? _Spottedpaw looked at him once more with weak eyes, an intense, burning hatred flashing in them momentarily. The apprentice's body began to fade, until nothing but his blood remained on the forest floor. A choking sound came from Rippleclaw, who then dashed into the forest, his tail between his legs. The bushes next to the area he had ran through vibrated suspiciously, and Buzzardpaw could have sworn he saw a pair of discolored eyes flashing through them, but he was too surprised to question it.

Buzzardpaw stared at his bloodied paws in shock, barely ignoring Darkenedstreak's quiet voice. "You've done it." She was saying. "You're one of us now."

"I… I didn't have to kill him." Buzzardpaw squeaked, his voice barely a whisper.

Darkenedstreak pressed her muzzle to his ear, her breath cold. "Oh, young, innocent Buzzardpaw, but you did. He was interfering with the prophecy, and we can't have _anyone_ cause harm to our savior."

Eaglepaw had shuffled next to Buzzardpaw, his voice as quiet as his. "S-Savior?" The ShadowClan apprentice stammered. Buzzardpaw had never heard him sound so fearful before. He shuddered violently. _I don't want to feel like this. I don't want to scare anycat._

Darkendstreak hummed. "Mhm. You two are destined for great things. You'll be legends." She paused. "The power of the prophecy is strong, but the power of kin is stronger. Your shared blood holds power more than any cat that has ever existed."

Buzzardpaw finally broke from his state of shock, lifting his head. "What?"

Darkenedstreak gazed at him, her now amber eyes warm. "You _still_ don't know? Huh, I thought I had practically spelled it out for you." Buzzardpaw continued to stare at her in confusion, prompting a small chuckle from her. "You two are kin. Buzzardpaw, Eaglepaw is your _brother_."

_What!?_

* * *

**Author's note:**

**The big reveal! Did you already figure it out, or was this a surprise to you as well? Let me know in the comments!**

**The next three chapters are VERY important to the plot. If you've been following along but havent favorited the story yet, make sure you do now! Chapters 17, 18, and 19 will be posted next Monday, Wednesday and Friday respectively.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Buzzardpaw walked behind Goldenstar, his eyes furrowed. He had been trying to get his attention the entire day, but the ThunderClan leader was too busy to notice him. Before Buzzardpaw went out for training that day, Goldenstar was asleep and wouldn't budge. When Buzzardpaw returned, Goldenstar was out of camp for a long time. Now it was night time, the large, full moon rising above the camp. Darkendstreak's words from last night echoed in Buzzardpaw's head. _Is Eaglepaw really my kin?_

"Goldenstar, may I speak with you?" Buzzardpaw mewed, tapping his father's shoulder once he had stood still. The big tabby tom was still distracted, but finally turned his attention to his son.

"Yes, what is it Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw blinked a few times, not knowing how to ask. "Um… Is it true that Eag-"

"Goldenstar!" Palecloud's voice called, interrupting the apprentice. Buzzardpaw's ears flattened in irritation as the tom bounded over to the two. "The moon is rising! You should announce the cats that are going to the Gathering soon."

Goldenstar nodded. "Oh yes! I completely forgot. Thank you for reminding me, Palecloud." Buzzardpaw tilted his head in confusion. _Normally Goldenstar is always on top of things… How could he forget? _Goldenstar looked down at Buzzardpaw, blinking apologetically. "Sorry son. Can your question wait until later?"

Buzzardpaw frowned, forcing himself to nod. "Yeah… I guess."

"Good." The ThunderClan leader leapt onto the High Ledge, not needing to call the meeting as most of the cats were already waiting in the clearing. Buzzardpaw sat down, his tail twitching irritably. "I will be announcing the cats attending the meeting. Chipmunkzip, Fawnleap, Russetprowl, Buzzardpaw, Dragonflywing, Voletail, Thistlepounce, Jackdawtalon and Aloefang, you all will be attending. Mottleddusk and Elkpool have also requested to attend, so I would like the warriors to make sure they're supported."

"I don't need any support!" Mottleddusk shouted, his crooked whiskers twitching.

Goldenstar's eyes flashed in amusement at the old tom as he leapt from the rock. He padded towards the thorn barrier, beckoning with his tail. "Cats attending the Gathering, let's leave now. We wouldn't want to be late." Buzzardpaw stood, following behind the others. The group started slow, then transitioned to a brisk trot, the forest scenery whizzing past them. Buzzardpaw raced past the cats, falling in step with his father. Goldenstar was in deep conversation with Fawnleap, barely paying attention.

"Goldenstar!" Buzzardpaw mewed, louder than he intended. The two cats turned their attention to him, their eyes warm. Before he could speak, they interjected.

"Look at him." Fawnleap purred. "Our handsome boy."

"Of course he's handsome." Goldenstar meowed, puffing out his chest, "He looks exactly like me."

Fawnleap rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself."

Buzzardpaw's eyes narrowed in irritation. _Why can't they take anything serious? _"I have an important question to ask."

Fawnleap's head tilted, noticing the seriousness in his tone. "Important? What is it honey?"

Buzzardpaw looked at his paws as he trotted alongside them. He was at a loss for words again. _Argh, this is so important, but I don't know how to word it correctly! _He finally spoke, his voice low. "Would… Would you ever lie to me, dad?"

Goldenstar's eyes furrowed. "Oh, StarClan no! Why would I ever do that?"

Buzzardpaw ignored the question, lifting his head to stare into his father's eyes. "Would you ever hide anything from me?"

Goldenstar returned his intense gaze, shaking his head. Buzzardpaw blinked, swearing he saw his father's eyes darken for a second. "I would never hide anything from you, Buzzardpaw, unless it is for your safety."

Buzzardpaw stood still, blinking a few times. _For my safety? Hiding my kin was for my _safety_? _His mouth finally moved, allowing him to ask the important question. "So hiding Eag-"

"Look! We've reached the tree bridge!" A voice called, interrupting him once more. Buzzardpaw bristled, frustrated. _This is pointless!_ Goldenstar's attention was now focused ahead, a few cats from WindClan crossing the bridge. The ThunderClan cats followed, stepping onto the grassy island. Goldenstar started to walk towards the big tree where the other leaders sat, but doubled back to speak with his son.

"What was it you wanted to ask me?" He mewed, his voice quiet.

"Forget it."

Goldenstar stared at him for a second, uncertainty flashing in his eyes. "We can talk later, when we get back to camp." Buzzardpaw gave him a small nod, allowing him to join the other leaders. Pikestar and Furzestar greeted him with small nods, and Buzzardpaw sat down alone. ShadowClan wasn't there yet, but Buzzardpaw didn't want to speak with anyone.

Suddenly, Buzzardpaw felt like he was being stared at. Sure enough, Dragonflywing was behind him, glaring holes into his head. Realizing that he was discovered, the black and white warrior padded forward to sit next to him, his discolored eyes flashing.

Buzzardpaw looked at his paws, paying him no mind. This seemed to irritate Dragonflywing, who opened his mouth to speak. "Funny how a cat can have two personalities."

"What?"

Dragonflywing scoffed. "Oh, don't play coy with me, Buzzardpaw. I know what you did."

Buzzardpaw's tail lashed in irritation. _Can he go bother someone else? _"Leave me alone Dragonflywing. I'm not in a good mood today, and you're being really annoying."

The black and white tom's eyes flashed. "Oh, what happens if I don't? You'll _kill _me, like you did Spottedpaw?" Buzzardpaw froze, his eyes widening. _He knows! _Dragonflywing noticed his shocked expression, his lips pulling into a smirk. "Yes, I was there. But I guess you and your _brother _won't have to worry about any cat interfering with the prophecy now."

Buzzardpaw felt a chill go down his spine, making his pelt prickle. His breath caught in his throat, barely being able to whisper, "Please dont tell any cat, Dragonflywing."

Dragonflywing's smirk turned into a sneer. "Oh, don't worry, Buzzardpaw. I won't tell a _single_ cat, I _promise_." Before Buzzardpaw could say anything else, the warrior stood and dashed into the throng of cats, his pelt mixing with theirs. Buzzardpaw started after him, his heart feeling like it was about to leap out of his chest. He jumped and yowled as a paw touched his shoulder.

"StarClan, Buzzardpaw! What's got you on edge?" The voice mewed. Buzzardpaw whipped his head around, coming face to face with Eaglepaw. The ShadowClan apprentice's eyes were wide with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Buzzardpaw forced his pelt to lie flat, sitting back down. "Yeah, uh… sorry."

"Are you okay?" Eaglepaw mewed, sitting down as well. "You can tell me anything. We're brothers." He whispered the last word, sending another chill down Buzzardpaw's spine.

Buzzardpaw felt a lump in his throat. He looked at Eaglepaw, who was staring back at him kindly. Buzzardpaw realized how similar they looked, with both of them having the same muscular stature, the same tabby stripes, and most of all, the same piercing golden eyes. _Oh, how could I have not noticed before? _The only difference between the two was the splash of white on Eaglepaw's chest, which still did not detract from their resemblance. Buzzardpaw forced his lips to move. "Did... Did you already know?"

Eaglepaw was silent, then nodded slowly. "I learned about half a moon ago. I met Goldenstar one night with my mother and…" He paused. "I haven't been able to look at them the same since."

Buzzardpaw blinked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Eaglepaw shook his head. "He told me not to, he said you would learn eventually." Buzzardpaw's eyes narrowed, and Eaglepaw placed his tail over his brother's flank. "But that doesn't matter now. What matters is that we're kin, and we have a prophecy." Eaglepaw paused, looking down at his paws. "Well, the prophecy is important of course, but our blood is more important. Promise me Buzzardpaw, promise me that our kinship will always come first."

Buzzardpaw nodded absentmindedly, his attention focused on Fawnleap, who was gazing at Goldenstar atop the massive tree. Buzzardpaw felt his heart wrench. _Poor Fawnleap… She doesn't know what kind of cat he is. _He knew that news of his father's infidelity would break the kind she-cat, and promised to himself that he would keep her safe. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Pikestar's yowl.

"The Gathering will begin!" Buzzardpaw turned his attention to the leaders, closing his mouth.

Furzestar stood on her branch, getting confirmation that she could speak first. The other leaders nodded at her, and she began her announcement. "Prey has been running well in WindClan, thanks to the New Leaf weather." Her face darkened. "I wish the news would stop there, but unfortunately, it doesn't. There has been an increased amount of rogue activity in the barns near our territory, and we have had to increase our patrols to chase them out of our land." Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. _Silly Orion! He needs to stop wandering through the clans' territory. _He then paused, his eyes narrowing. _Unless it's those hostile cats. I hope they don't cause any trouble!_

Mousestar had stood, her green eyes flashing warily. "ShadowClan has been experiencing the same problem as well. This information is new to me however, as the patrol that I sent to your clan reported that WindClan _hasn't _seen any suspicious activity."

Furzestar's eyes narrowed at the she-cat. "While both of our clans are having problems with rogues, I didn't think that the two incidents were connected. You say that a rogue snuck into your camp and stole Silkyspark's body, yes? It would take a sunrise for a cat to walk from ShadowClan to the barn, much longer if that cat was carrying a body. Though it is a bit coincidental, I assumed that the rogue you're dealing with would not be connected with the barn rogues. The chances of the two being connected is not likely."

Mousestar dipped her head, seemingly satisfied with her answer. "I understand, Furzestar." She cleared her throat to continue with her own announcement. "Prey is running well in ShadowClan, and Eaglepaw has received Vulturefeather as his mentor, as Viperhiss has disappeared half a moon ago." Buzzardpaw glanced at Eaglepaw, who looked dejected. _Where could Viperhiss be?_ He hoped that the rogues hadn't gotten to him. "If any of you gain contact with him, please alert us." She sat back down, and Pikestar stood.

"Prey is running well in RiverClan as well, and though we aren't having problems with rogues, we are dealing with another potential issue." The gray tom cleared his throat, his eyes darkening. "We are worried that the Dark Forest might be experiencing another uprising." Gasps and murmurs of shock filled the clearing. "Our apprentice Spottedpaw awoke this morning covered in his own blood, and his neck sliced open." Buzzardpaw felt his heart stop, and his eyes widened in fear. He had tried his hardest to forget what had happened the previous night, trying to deduce it to a bad dream. He began to tremble, and Eaglepaw pressed his flank to his. "Though the wound is gruesome, he survived and is currently resting in Cedarsplash's den." Buzzardpaw let out a sigh of relief, letting his body relax. _Thank StarClan! I didn't kill him! _

Goldenstar stood, dipping his head to the RiverClan leader. "I hope young Spottedpaw has a speedy recovery. Speckledlight will lend Cedarsplash some of our herbs, if he is ever in need." He then turned his head to the other two leaders, his eyes warm. "As for ShadowClan and WindClan, ThunderClan will always be ready to assist in the case of a battle." The other leaders mewed their thanks to the tom, and Goldenstar turned back to address the crowd. "Prey is running well in ThunderClan, and-"

"Before you continue Goldenstar, may I have a word?" A voice called from the group of cats, making Buzzardpaw's pelt stand on end as he recognized it. Eaglepaw's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as the cat thrusted their way to the roots of the massive tree.

Goldenstar blinked a few times in confusion, then dipped his head. "Um… Sure Dragonflywing. Though I wish you would have discussed this with me earlier, I will let you speak."

Buzzardpaw felt his heartbeat quicken as the black and white warrior stood on a crooked root, standing in front of the deputies. The cats around the crowd whispered in hushed mews of confusion. _What's he doing?_

After waiting for the clearing to quiet down, Dragonflywing began to speak. "Thank you, Golden_star_." He spat out the word 'star', his tail lashing. "It is an honor to speak before the clans like this, an honor that only _loyal_ cats deserve."

Goldenstar narrowed his eyes from atop his branch. "Dragonflywing, what are you talking about?"

The black and white warrior scoffed, pacing on the root he stood on. "What am I talking about? I'm talking about how you dishonor the clans, and how you are a traitor to the warrior code!"

Yowls of outrage came from the ThunderClan cats, and Jackdawtalon stood to her paws, glaring at the warrior. "Stupid bee brain! Goldenstar has been nothing but loyal to ThunderClan, you ungrateful furball!"

Dragonflywing leveled his head with the tom, his eyes flashing. "Oh, gullible warrior, that's what he wants you to think." He lifted his head again. "That's what he wants you all to think!"

Goldenstar dug his claws into the tree branch, wood chips falling from the splinters. "I think we've heard enough, Dragonflywing. You can sit down now."

"Heard enough? Ha! I've only just started." The warrior growled, glaring up at the leader. He whipped his head around to address the crowd. "Cats of all clans! That tom you see up there, that disgusting disgrace of a leader, is a phoney." He turned back to the leaders, his gaze falling on Mousestar, who's eyes were wide. "And that pretty little she-cat next to him is just as treacherous."

The cats from ShadowClan began to shout, their pelts bristling as they glared at Dragonflying.

"Idiot!"

"Foxheart!"

"You know nothing about Mousestar!"

Dragonflywing's eyes blazed angrily. "I may not know everything, but I know enough! Every heartbeat that passes with those two criminals up there, they tarnish the very code that holds us together! Open your eyes!"

Goldenstar leapt from the branch, shoving his face into Dragonflywing's. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened and Eaglepaw tensed next to him. "I've had enough of this disrespect, Dragonflywing! If you have something you need to say to me, you can say it in private."

Dragonflywing hissed in his face. "Disrespect? The only disrespectful thing is you and your affair!" Gasps rose from the gathered cats. "That's right! Goldenstar of ThunderClan and Mousestar of ShadowClan have broken the warrior code by becoming mates. And that abomination right there," He turned his glare to Eaglepaw who had his teeth bared, "Is the product of their sins. Eaglepaw is Goldenstar's kit."

Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop to his paws as yowls of outrage and anger rang throughout the clearing. Goldenstar stood still, his head lowered. Mousestar leapt from her branch, her small body trembling as she faced the angry cats. Furzestar and Pikestar watched in stunned silence, their mouths agape. Buzzardpaw glanced at Fawnleap, who was gazing calmly at Goldenstar. He blinked rapidly. _Did she know? _He was broken from his thoughts by a loud yowl from Eaglepaw, who had dashed across the clearing to fling himself at the warrior. The two wrestled for a second, finally pulled apart by Goldenstar.

"That's right, Goldenstar. Protect your _son_!" Dragonflywing spat, blood dripping from his torn ear.

Buzzardpaw looked around him, the Gathering a scene of chaos. Cats from all the clans were glaring at each other, their teeth bared and claws and unsheathed. He saw Jackdawtalon and a ShadowClan warrior fighting, a few warriors from the other clans leaping into the fray. Screeching and yowling filled the island, and the smell of blood made Buzzardpaw feel sick. A large shadow covered the clearing, making all activity stop.

"StarClan has sent clouds to cover the moon! This gathering is over." Pikestar yowled, his voice echoing eerily. The RiverClan and WindClan cats quickly hurried out, leaving just ShadoawClan and ThunderClan. The cats stared at each other warily, their pelts standing on end as they looked at their leaders.

"Goldenstar, I-"

"Haven't you done enough?" Fawnleap hissed, thrusting her face in Mousetsar's. "You've ruined everything!"

"That's not fair." A ShadowClan cat mewed, stepping between the two she-cats. "Goldenstar has a part in this as well." Buzzardpaw looked at his father, who looked frail and defeated.

"What do we do now?" A black she-cat mewed.

"We go back to our clans to sort this out." Goldenstar responded, his voice cracking with each word. He was staring at his paws and his tail drooped. "ThunderClan, lets go."

The ThunderClan cats slowly stood, following behind their defeated leader slowly. Dragonflywing remained where he was, his tail lashing behind him. "Are you guys really following him? He's a traitor! He-"

"I done heard enough from you!" Russetprowl snapped in his face, shutting him up. "You done said yer piece, now shut it!"

Dragonflywing's eyes widened, his lip quivering. "Uncle Russet-"

Russetprowl struck his claws down the warriors face, making him hiss in pain. "I hear another word from you, you'll be feelin' a lot worse! Get yer ass in line, right now!"

Without a word, Dragonflywing crossed the tree bridge, catching up with the other cats with Russetprowl in tow, his head shaking. Casting a final glance at Eaglepaw, Buzzardpaw followed behind his clan, his mind racing. He feared what would happen next.

_Is dad going to be alright?_

* * *

**Author's note:**

**The big reveal! If you didnt hate Dragonflywing before, you sure will now. (At least I do, he's my least favorite character) The next two chapters will be posted Wednesday and Friday. Also, I've been trying to get a drawing tablet so I can actually show you guys what these characters look like. (The main ones at least.) Once I get it, I'll let you guys know!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Traitor!"

"Chase him out!"

ThunderClan was in chaos after the cats returned to the camp. Dragonflywing had run ahead of everyone to tell the cats that were left behind, and now the majority of the clan glared and bristled at Goldenstar as he thrust through the bramble entrance. Buzzardpaw padded behind his father, his ears flattened to his head.

Goldenstar stopped once he reached the center of the camp, the cats swarming around him in a tight circle. The ThunderClan leader dropped his head in defeat as his clan hissed and spat at him. Buzzardpaw noticed that a few cats hung back, their eyes filled with uncertainty. He looked down at his paws, feeling his father's shame.

Palecloud thrust his way through the cats, his eyes wide. "Goldenstar... Is it really true?"

The massive tabby tom lifted his head to stare into his deputy's eyes, his gaze weak and sorrowful. Gasps rung throughout the camp, as the leader's silence answered the dreaded question. The camp grew eerily silent. Buzzardpaw glanced at the nursery, Softkit's eyes wide as she poked her head out of the den entrance. Finally breaking the silence, a quiet voice mewed:

"How did this happen?"

Goldenstar lowered his head again, his shoulders sagging. He opened his mouth to speak, but his normal loud, booming voice was weak and hoarse. "It happened… The night of the fire. I was shocked by Mousestar's kindness and…" His voice faltered and he cleared his voice to speak again. "And I felt something. It wasn't love, but it was something. Mistakes were made that night, and I tried my hardest to distance myself from her, I knew what we did- what _I_ did was wrong. But one night, she requested to meet and revealed that she was pregnant. I felt the world shatter in that instant. But I knew that I had to be there for my kits, and we agreed to meet in secret until the kits were born. One day, while we were meeting, she began kitting early. There was no medicine cat, and we were too afraid of what would happen if we got one. It was a long, gruesome birth and she… she lost a life during the kitting. She gave birth to four beautiful kits, all stillborn but one. He was the weakest, but we could tell that he had the heart of a warrior, the strength of an Eagle." He paused, lifting his head to the crowd. The cats gazed back at him, their eyes wide. "What I did was inexcusable, and I realize that my foolish actions have hurt each and every one of you dearly. I apologize for my recklessness, and I apologize for disrespecting you all, but most importantly," He turned his head to Fawnleap, who was facing him with narrowed eyes, "I apologize to you, Fawnleap. Though you knew of my actions, you still remained by my side, and I realize now that you did not deserve the way I've treated you and I do not deserve you, nor how good you are to me." He turned his head back to the clan. "I will not ask for your forgiveness, as I know that I am undeserving of it. All I ask, is that you understand that I deeply regret my actions, and I will never do anything to hurt you all ever again."

The camp was silent, so quiet that the crickets chirping above the camp sounded as loud as monsters. The cats in the crowd looked at each other, some of them looking thoughtful, others looking unsure. The silence was broken by Dragonflywing's scoff.

"What, are you fools _actually_ thinking about forgiving this traitor?" The black and white tom hissed, thrusting his way through the crowd. "Look at him. He isn't sorry about what happened, he's sorry that he got _caught_."

Goldenstar looked at the tom, his gaze calm. "That is untrue. I've been plagued by my actions since that fateful night, and I deeply regret my foolishness. I knew the secret would get out eventually, I just didn't think it would be like this."

Dragonflying hissed in his face. "Oh, isn't that convenient? Now that his disloyalty is out in the open, he claims that he would 'tell us eventually'. How stupid do you think we are, Golden_heart_?" He pushed through the cats and leapt onto the High Ledge, earning yowls and hisses in protest. He ignored this, lifting his head to the sky to shout, "I say we exile this traitor! He's disgraced us all, and allowing him to stay only excuses his actions!"

"Get down from there!"

"You don't belong up there, fox heart!"

"You are not our leader!"

Dragonflywing glared at the cats below him. "I'm not your leader, but he is? You're all idiots! All the clans know about this! Imagine how weak ThunderClan will look when they realize that we let him off the hook!"

Goldenstar continued to stare at Dragonflywing, dipping his head. "I understand if you all decide to exile me. I am undeserving of your forgiveness and mercy." He gazed at the cats around him. "If I leave ThunderClan with my life, I will be forever grateful."

Gasps of shock rang throughout the clearing.

"We would never kill you, Goldenstar!"

"You're our leader!"

"But… he betrayed us!"

The camp grew silent again after that last, reluctant comment. Buzzardpaw felt his heart race in his chest. He looked at the cats around him, who looked as uncertain as he felt. Finally, a quiet voice called out:

"I say we let him stay."

The cats turned to the voice, their eyes widening as they saw who it was. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Thistlepounce, who was looking certain and confident. Everycat in the clan was aware of the rivalry Goldenstar and Thistlepounce had, which had ended on an extremely sour note. It was a huge shock to hear the tom speak up for his former rival, and a few thoughtful murmurs rippled throughout the group of cats.

Dragonflywing growled, still perched on the High Ledge. "He's just one cat! _I _still say that we get rid of the traitor."

Palecloud stood, glaring at the warrior. "I think that you're forgetting, Dragonflywing, that you're just one cat as well. You don't speak for _all_ of us."

The black and white tom opened his mouth to hiss a stinging retort but was cut off by a commotion near the nursery. Springkit had burst through the bramble entrance with Newtwhisper trying to usher her back in. The bubbly kit was too quick however, and squeezed her way under the group of cats to stand in the small circle. Her green eyes flashed proudly as the cats looked down at her.

"I say we cast a vote! Like a game!"

"Springkit," Newtwhisper called from the nursery, her voice stern, "Get back to the nursery this instant! This is a grown cat busin-"

"I say we hear her out, Newtwhisper." Palecoud hummed, nodding thoughtfully. "Obviously, we all have conflicting opinions on what to do, so the best thing to do is to settle it civilly."

Springkit looked as if she would burst with pride as the cats dispersed, grabbing twigs and stones from around the camp. Newtwhisper dashed to her side and grabbed her by the scruff, dragging her back to the nursery. After all the cats had grabbed their voting tool, Palecloud nodded and drew two lines in the sand.

"All cats that wish for Goldenstar to remain in the clan and keep his position, you'll place your stone here," He pointed to the space on the far right with his tail. "All those that believe he should remain in the clan, but give up his leader position, you'll vote here," He pointed to the space in between the two lines, " And those that believe that he should not stay in the clan and leave, you'll vote here." He pointed to the space on the far left. "We'll do this one cat at a time, to reduce the chaos."

"I'll go first then." Dragonflywing hissed, grabbing his stone and placing it in the left space. _Exile_. Buzzardpaw felt his heartbeat quicken.

Foxgrowl went next, placing his next to Dragonflywing's. Dingomuzzle went after, surprisingly placing his stone in the middle space. _Give up his position_. Jackdawtalon, Voletail, Violetstream and Sprucestep went next, all placing theirs next to his. Palecloud, Speckledlight, Thistlepounce and Russetprowl placed their stones in the space to the right. _Remain leader. _Buzzardpaw watched as the remaining cats placed their stones in their spaces, with eleven cats agreeing that Goldenstar should keep his position, and ten cats believing that he should give it up. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in shock as he watched Fawnleap place her stone in the middle, making the numbers even. _Why would she want him to give up his position? He's still a good leader, right?_ Buzzardpaw slowly realized that he was the last cat to vote, his eyes widening.

He stepped to the voting space, his stone grasped tightly between his jaws. He felt his father's gaze on him and shuddered, a chill going up his spine. _It's up to me to break the tie. Should dad remain leader, or should he give it up? Or should he just… leave?_

Buzzardpaw thought long and hard, his eyebrows furrowing. _He broke the warrior code pretty badly. It would seem weird if we still allowed him to be leader. But… he seemed so genuine. I've never seen dad look so defeated. _He glanced back at his father, who was gazing at him softly. Goldenstar dipped his head to his son, as if saying that he would understand his decision. Blinking a few times, Buzzardpaw turned back to the voting space, nodding his head. He closed his eyes, placing his stone down and stepping backwards.

Palecloud peered over his shoulder, humming quietly. "It has been decided then. With twelve votes, it seems that a majority of the clan agrees that Goldenstar should remain, and keep his position as leader."

The clan broke into cheers, a few cats nodding to the leader and others still looking uncertain. Goldenstar stood to his paws, dipping his head. "I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to stay here, let alone allow me to keep my position. I promise with all nine of my lives that I will never forget this, and I will use every fiber of my being to bring ThunderClan to victory. I have great plans for our future, and I will do everything that I can to make you all proud. You won't forget this."

"Goldenstar, Goldentar!" The cats cheered, their yowls filling the night.

Buzzardpaw glanced at Dragonflywing, who was scowling behind the group. With an angry yowl of fury, he roughly pushed through the cheering cats, coming face to face with Goldenstar.

"No matter what these cats say, you will _never _be my leader."

The group's happy cheers quickly turned to yowls of outrage towards the warrior, their pelts bristling.

"Don't speak to him that way!"

"Disrespectful furrball!"

Russetprowl stalked towards the warrior, his tail lashing. "If anything, _yer _the traitor here, Dragonflywing. You done outed our business to all da clans! You tried to ruin ThunderClan! _Yer _the one that should be exiled!" A few cats yowled in agreement at his statement.

Dragonflywing stared at the tom in shock, his discolored eyes wide. "Uncle Russet, you can't believe that!"

Russetprowl narrowed his eyes. "I do believe it, an' I hope Goldn'star agrees as well. An' by tha way, I aint yer uncle. No kin of mine would do somethin' this vile."

Dragonflywing's eyes narrowed to slits. Before he could spit something back, Goldenstar padded between them, lifting his tail calmly.

"Though I do appreciate you for defending me, Russetprowl," Goldenstar mewed, "I do understand Dragonflywing's point of view. What I did is unforgivable, and I am truly grateful for your loyalty." He turned to Dragonflywing, his eyes calm. "No cat will be exiled today."

The black and white warrior glared at Goldenstar, his tail lashing. "I refuse to serve under a traitor like you. You will get no respect from me, you'll-"

Foxgrowl had padded up to him, lightly placing his tail on Dragonflywing's flank. He whispered something in his ear, and slowly Dragonflywing relaxed, then stalked out of camp. Buzzardpaw released a deep breath he didn't realize he was holding. He watched the tom leave, his eyes narrowing.

Goldenstar nodded to the clan, a small smile on his face. "Tonight was an eventful night, and I truly apologize once more. Now, let us all get a good night's rest so we can be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow." The cats began to disperse, and Buzzardpaw headed for the apprentice's den, but was stopped by his father's voice. "Buzzardpaw, come with me."

Buzzardpaw followed his father out of camp, eventually emerging into a small, open clearing. Fawnleap sat in the middle of it, her face worried and sorrowful. Buzzardpaw sat down in front of his parents, his eyes dark. The three cats stared at each other in silence, the sounds of nightlife filling the space around them.

Buzzardpaw looked down at his paws. His mind was racing with questions. After what seemed like an eternity, he was finally able to choke out a quiet, "Why?" His parents remained silent, their heads to the ground. Buzzardpaw's tail lashed. "Why didn't you tell me? Did you think that I wasn't old enough? That I wouldnt understand?"

After a period of silence, Goldenstar finally spoke, lifting his head. "That's not it at all. We- I just didn't think it was important at the ti-"

"Not important?" Buzzardpaw stood to his feet, his eyes narrowing. His fear from before had melted away to a ball of rage, and he glared at the two cats before him. "Not important?! You hid my _kin_ from me!"

Goldenstar's eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't let me finish. I didn't think that it was important _at the time_. You would have learned about Eaglepaw soon enough."

"How soon is 'soon enough'? From what I can tell, you would have hid it from me for my whole life! Just like…" He faltered, not wanting to say what came to his head. "Just like the traitor you are!"

Goldenstar's expression was hurt, making Buzzardpaw regret what he said. But the anger inside him grew, and he did not let his parents see his hesitance. Fawnleap lifted her head now, her eyes stern. "Now Buzzardpaw, your father has sacrificed a lot to-"

"Sacrificed? He hasn't sacrificed anything!" Buzzardpaw wanted to stop, but the words continued to spill out like an unstoppable torrent of anger. "He's selfish! He's a traitor! And you!" He shifted his glare to his mother, who looked shocked and hurt. "You're not innocent either. You knew this whole time, you could have told me!"

Goldenstar's face turned angry, his eyes narrowing at his son. "Buzzardpaw, you will not blame your mother for any of this! I have acknowledged my wrongs and I know that they are _my _wrongs alone. Fawnleap is innocent, and you will not blame her for anything!"

Buzzardpaw glared at his father, his ears flattening to his head. "I'll blame who I want! She's not the victim here, and you definitely aren't either. You're both disgraces, and traitors, and liars, and cheaters and… and horrible foxhearts!"

Goldenstar stood to his paws, towering over his son. His face was livid, and his eyes blazed in anger. "I will not tolerate anymore disrespect. Not am I your father Buzzardpaw, but I am also your _leader_. I will hear no more of this back talk!"

Buzzardpaw unsheathed his claws, his pupils tiny slits. "I wish I voted for your exile!"

Goldenstar's angry expression immediately turned into shock, and his jaw dropped. "You don't mean that…"

"I do! I _hate _you Goldenstar, I hate you I hate you I hate you!" Buzzardpaw was screaming now, his body trembling violently with every word. Tears threatened to burst from his eyes, but he pushed them back, his eyes shut tightly.

"Buzzardpaw, that is enough!" Fawnleap growled, her pelt bristling. "Apologize to your father!"

Buzzardpaw opened his eyes, shifting his attention to his mother. "You don't tell me what to do, you feeble minded mouse! You cant even realize that youre being _used_, like the dumb she-cat that you are! You can't-" He hissed in pain as Fawnleap smacked the side of his face, small drops of blood falling from the scratch that she made. Buzzardpaw prepared to pounce on her but was blocked by Goldenstar, making him screech in frustration and dash deeper into the forest.

"Buzzardpaw! Buzzardpaw!"

He ignored his parent's calls, racing blindly forward. His teary eyes blurred his vision but he continued on, his dark pelt blending in with the shadows.

_I can't stay here anymore. I can't..._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Chapter 18! Do you think Goldenstar deserves to keep his position as leader, or did the clan let him off too easily? Let me know in the reviews! Chpater 19 will be posted Friday.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	21. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Disgusting code breaker!"

"How could you betray us?"

ShadowClan was in complete disarray when Flamescar broke the news of Mousestar and Goldenstar's relationship. Eaglepaw stood in the midst of bristling, angry cats, his ears flattened to his head in an attempt to block the deafening screeches. He looked around for his mother, who was standing at the camp's entrance, her body shaking.

"Don't just stand there, you coward!" Chivepelt growled, his teeth bared. "Come here and face us!"

Mousestar reluctantly padded in, immediately met with a blow to the face by the ginger tom. She screamed in agony, and Eaglepaw rushed forward, facing the warrior with his hackles raised. "Stay away from her!" He growled.

"You dare defend the traitor?" Chivepelt hissed, sizing the apprentice up.

Eaglepaw squared his shoulders, already the same height as the tom. "I defend my _mother_."

"Your mother is a traitor!" A voice called, sending the camp back into a screeching frenzy.

Eaglepaw looked around frantically, it seemed that no cat was on Mousestar's side. He looked for Quailkit, who was nowhere to be found. He then spotted Cinderpaws by the medicine den, his eyes narrowed and tail lashing. Gorsepaw poked his head out next to him, his body quivering from all the screaming. The medicine cat finally stepped forward, his tail raised in the air for silence. No cat listened, too bothered by their own rage to pay attention. The very obviously annoyed tom lifted his head to the sky, loudly screeching, "QUIET!"

The camp fell silent, all eyes on the medicine cat. Pleased with himself, Cinderpaws nodded, then turned his attention to Mousestar, who was staring at him with wide eyes. He looked at her for a moment, then beckoned her forward.

"I-I apologize everyone. I know what I did was wrong, and-"

"Don't act meek and scared now! You sure were bold when you mated with a thunder cat!" Oatblossom spat, glaring at the she-cat. A few cats opened their mouths to shout their agreement, but a warning look from Cinderpaws silenced them.

Mousestar began to shake, her tail drooping behind her. Eaglepaw pressed his body to hers, earning a few hisses of disapproval from the cats gathered around. The ShadowClan leader stared at the ground, her voice shaky. "I sincerely apologize to everyone. I've failed you all and I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"You sure aren't getting it either." A cat growled. Eaglepaw whipped his head around, but couldn't locate who it was.

"What about Shrewpounce?" Another voice called. Eaglepaw recognized Heatherflight, who had pushed her way through the crowd. "You made us believe that you were pregnant with my brother's kits, not some ThunderClan traitor!"

Mousestar opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Shrewpounce, who had moved to stand next to her. "I knew about what happened, and I knew about Mousestar's relationship with Goldenstar." A few gasps came from the crowd and the warrior dipped his head. "I did it to retain our leader's dignity. I knew that if any cat knew about it, ShadowClan would be ruined."

"Why would you want to protect a traitor?" Ebonythroat mewed, her eyes flashing. "And ShadowClan is already ruined, now that every clan knows!"

"I protected her because I loved her." Eaglepaw felt Mousestar flinch next to him at the word 'loved'. He blinked at the brown spotted tom, whose eyebrows were furrowed. "And it isnt Mousestar's fault that every clan knows, it's that foxhearted ThunderClan cat's fault!"

Flamescar had moved to stand in the front of the group, his eyes dark. "Though it is unfortunate that all of the clans know of our business, we musnt excuse Mousestar for her actions." A few cats murmured their agreement. "None of this would have happened if Mousestar had simply remained loyal to the code, and to her clan."

"What do we do then?" A voice called from the back of the group.

The clan began to get rowdy again, many cats shouting their ideas of what to do next.

"I say we demote her! She's no leader to me!"

"Exile! She's not one of us!"

"Why don't we just _kill _her?"

Eaglepaw felt his body stiffen at the last suggestion, and the camp grew silent. His heart was beating so fast and hard, he was sure everycat in camp could hear it. Mousestar tensed next to him, her eyes wide and her mouth agape in stunned, fearful silence. A few cats in the crowd slowly nodded their heads, sending a chill up Eaglepaw's spine. _They can't really be considering _killing _her, can they?_ He glanced at Flamescar, who had a solemn look on his face. Eaglepaw felt his heart drop. _I'll protect her with my life. They're not killing _my _mother!_ After what seemed like an eternity, the tom spoke.

"No, we won't kill her." Eaglepaw released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. _Thank StarClan! _"If we killed her, we would be hypocrites! How can we be angry with her breaking the warrior code, then retaliate by breaking it ourselves? No. That would not work out well."

"So what?" Chivepelt spoke, his ears twitching. "We just let her off with no consequences?"

Flamescar shook his head, his eyes flashing. "Oh no. A punishment is still in order." Mousestar stared at the tom pathetically, her shoulders hunched as she crouched to the ground. Flamescar stared into her eyes for a second, then broke the gaze with a swift shake of his head. "But I need Cinderpaws' advice. Until we figure out what to do next, I want you all to remain _civil _and _courteous_." The two toms swept out of camp, leaving the clan in silence.

Eaglepaw's ears flattened as the clan glared at his mother, and him as well. He stepped closer to her, pressing his pelt to hers. The she-cat trembled next to her son, making Eaglepaw's heart break inwardly. _I wish I could comfort her, but I don't know what's going to happen either. _He looked at the hostile cats around him, his eyes falling on Quailkit, who was just outside the nursery. The she-kit stared at him, her soft green eyes unreadable. He stared back, his heart beating faster.

After what seemed like forever, the ShadowClan deputy and medicine cat returned to the camp, their eyes glittering as they looked at the group that was still gathered near the entrance. Giving the cats a small nod, Flamescar leapt onto High Branch, earning a few gasps from the clan. He looked down at the camp, his eyes shining.

"Cats of ShadowClan, Cinderpaws and I have come to a decision." Eaglepaw felt like his heart would burst from his chest if it beat any faster. "We have both decided that it would be best for the clan if Mousestar retired." Eaglepaw leapt to his paws in outrage, but was pulled down by his mother. Flamescar looked at him, but did nothing. "She will give up the rest of her lives, drop her star suffix, and in turn become an elder early."

"We don't want her here at all!" Chivepelt growled, leaping to his paws. "Exile her! Exile her!" A few cats shouted in agreement, stepping forward to stand next to him.

Flamescar looked at the tom, his eyes flashing. "I have made my decision. There will be no-"

"She betrayed us!"

"If we keep her here, ShadowClan will look weak!"

The ShadowClan deputy unsheathed his claws, splintering the branch he perched on. "I will not hear anymore of this! With the rogues running around, there's no telling what would happen to her if we cast her out. We-"

"Why should we care about what happens to her? She didn't care about us!"

"She's a traitor! She doesn't deserve mercy!"

"Enough!" The flame colored tom yowled, silencing the clan. He glared down at the cats, his tail lashing. "You will not disrespect me! I am your leader now, and my word is law! Mouse_whisker_ will remain with us, as at the end of the day, she shares our ShadowClan blood." Eaglepaw flinched as he heard his mother's warrior name. "If you have any more concerns you may speak with me privately, but otherwise, this meeting is dismissed." He prepared to leap from the branch, but was stopped by a voice.

"Actually Flamescar, I agree." Eaglepaw looked at his mother in shock, who had lifted her head confidently to the ShadowClan deputy. Cats in the crowd began to hiss at her, but she ignored them. "I do not wish to stay in a place where I am not wanted, even if that place was where I once called home." She turned her head to address the clan. "I know that I've hurt you all, and I wouldn't feel right wasting the rest of my life away as an elder, knowing that you would have to hunt and care for me. I've been thinking about this for a while now, and now the opportunity is being presented to me, so I will take it. I will leave peacefully."

Flamescar looked down at her in shock, his eyes wide. "Mousewhisker, are you sure about this? If you leave the clan, we will have to treat you as an outsider… there will be no returning."

The she-cat nodded confidently, her body rigid and strong. "I've never been more sure about anything. I am no use to this amazing clan, and I will no longer tarnish its legacy with my presence." She turned to leave, but Eaglepaw dashed after her.

Eaglepaw stared at his mother, who refused to look at him. "You can't be leaving." He mewed, his voice quiet.

"I have to, my love." She mewed, still not looking at him.

"But… What about me?"

Slowly Mousewhisker turned her head, her bright green eyes brimming with tears as she gazed at her son. "You…" She choked, but regained her composure. "You will become the greatest warrior ShadowClan has ever seen. Promise me that."

Eaglepaw shook his head, a lump rising in his throat. He tried his hardest to fight back the tears that threatened to spill, his voice quiet and raspy. "N-No, I can't. I can't live without you Mousestar, please. Don't go."

"Mouse_whisker_!" A voice hissed from behind him, but Eaglepaw ignored it, his eyes wide and pleading.

He felt his heart break into a million pieces as his mother shook her head at him, a soft smile on her face. "I have to Eaglepaw, and you know that."

"Then… Then let me go with you!" Eaglepaw yowled, making the crowd behind his gasp in shock. "Please, mama, don't leave me!"

Mousewhisker blinked at him, her voice stern. "No Eaglepaw." A lone tear fell from his eye, which she wiped away with her tail. "Don't cry, my little warrior. Just remember me, and remember that you're destined for great things. You're the best thing to ever happen to me, and though it hurts, I must go. But I need you to be strong, son. I'll always be thinking about you." Before he could say anything else, she gave the camp one final look, then dashed off into the shadowy forest.

Eaglepaw stared after her in shock, too stunned to move. He heard cats speaking around him, but it all sounded muddled and distant, as his heart was beating too loudly for him to focus on what was being said. He felt something prodding at his flank which sent him back to reality.

"Eaglepaw, are you alright?" Flamescar mewed, his face just inches from the apprentice's.

"We should send him off too!" Chivepelt hissed, his tail lashing. "You heard what he said, he wanted to go with her! Besides, can we really trust the son of a traitor?"

Flamescar moved away from Eaglepaw to growl in the tom's face. "For once, Chivepelt, think before you speak! What would you do in that situation if your mother left you? If _I _left you?"

Chivepelt looked taken aback, his eyes wide. "I… I would do the same."

"Exactly." Flamescar grunted, huffing. "Eaglepaw is innocent here, and _he's_ the one that's the most affected by this. I want _all_ of you to be kind to him, as this is a very tough time for him. Tomorrow I will travel to the Moonpool to receive my nine lives and appoint a deputy. Until then, I order you all to get some rest."

The cats around him began to disperse, but Eaglepaw remained rooted to the spot, staring at the camp's entrance. A quiet voice distracted him from his jumbled thoughts, and Quailkit's sweet scent filled his nose.

"I know what you're going through, Eaglepaw." She mewed, pressing her body to his. "And I'm here for you."

At these words, Eaglepaw broke down, the tears he had been fighting so hard to suppress finally streaming out as he fell to the floor.

_Why is this happening to me?_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Chapter 19 is here! Poor Mousestar! Who do you think handled the situation better, ShadowClan or ThunderClan? Let me know in a review!**

**Hopefully I can get three chapters posted next week, but I know that at the very least I'll have chapters 20 and 21 done.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	22. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Buzzardpaw stared across the WindClan border, a small breeze ruffling his pelt. He had slept outside in the forest that night, not wanting to return to camp and face his parents. He was relieved to have peaceful sleep that night, knowing that he couldn't deal with Darkendstreak and her rigorous training while he was upset. Now it's a bit past dawn, the warm orange light making the forest come to life. A mouse skittered past him and he lunged for it, barely missing it as it plunged deeper into the undergrowth. Buzzardpaw grunted, and his belly growled in response. He was hungry, but that would have to wait.

_What am I to do now? _He still wasn't ready to return to camp, but knew his mentor would want him back for training. He had contemplated going to the barn, internally conflicted. _I know I shouldn't, but I don't want to stay here, Not now, at least. _He thought for a second, his tail swaying in the grass he sat on. _Dad- Goldenstar will definitely be sending a patrol out to look for me soon, so it's- _As if they were reading his thoughts, Buzzardpaw heard voices behind him, recognizing his mentor as one of them.

"... an' you say that he jus ran off? Without sayin' anythin'?" Russetprowl was saying.

"He.. definitely said something, that's for sure." _Goldenstar! _His ears flattened to his head as he recognized his father's voice. Goldenstar sighed, his voice getting closer. "I've never seen him so upset, Russetprowl. What should I do?"

Russetprowl chuckled, the sound louder than Buzzardpaw would like. He dived into a bunch of bushes, immediately regretting it as spiny thorns began to tug at his pelt. "I say that you give the boy sum space, Goldn'star. Me an' ole Tinycloud use to get to fightin' all the time." Russetprowl paused, his voice lower now. "StarClan, I miss that spunky gal."

Buzzardpaw's breath caught in his throat as the two toms stopped in the clearing, their bodies relaxed as they spoke with one another. "She was a sweet cat. I'm sorry that I couldn't save her from the badgers. It was just-" Goldenstar paused mid sentence, his nose to the forest floor. "Can you smell that?"

Giving the ground a sniff, Russetprowl nodded, his whiskers twitching. "Why, ain't that Buzzardpaw?"

Goldenstar gave a small grunt, following his son's scent trail. He paused right in front of the bush he was hiding in, making Buzzardpaw hold his breath. Right before he could move the fronds obstructing his view, Goldenstar paused as a cat called his name. He moved away from the bush, and Buzzardpaw recognized the voices of Cherrystrike and Aloefang.

"Goldenstar! We looked near The Great Crack and couldn't find Buzzardpaw." Cherrystrike was saying, panting as if he had run to get there.

"Jackdawtalon's patrol didn't see him near the Sky Oak neither, but they did detect his scent." _Great StarClan! He sent out entire patrols to look for me?_

Goldenstar nodded, his ears twitching. "I thank you for the effort regardless. Head back to camp and have a meal. I'm sure you're hungry from all your searching." The two warriors headed off and Goldenstar looked at the branch BUzzardpaw was hiding in. He expected his father to walk to the bush and expose him to his mentor, but was surprised when he turned his back. "We head back as well, Russetprowl. Obviously Buzzardpaw was recently, but he isn't anymore." Buzzardpaw furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. _He knows I'm here, so why is he letting me off?_

Russetprowl seemed skeptical as well, sniffing loudly. "You sure, Goldn'star? His scent is pretty strong, I'd reckon he's pretty close by."

Goldenstar dipped his head, his tail swishing behind him. "I'm sure of it. Buzzardpaw will return home when he's ready, obviously he isn't yet. Now come on, I'm starving!"

The two toms began to walk deeper into the forest, their voices trailing behind them as they got further and further away. "Alright, I trust you, but soon as I see that lil whippersnapper, he'll be pickin' ticks from the elders for the rest of his days!" He heard Russetprowl say, his mew quieter. Once he was sure they were gone, Buzzardpaw slid from underneath the bush, his fur getting caught on the prickly thorns. Ripping himself away, he bolted across the stream that marked the WIndClan border, running across the moor. Pausing to look back, Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop as golden eyes stared back at him, their owner standing near the bush he was hiding in. Buzzardpaw held Goldenstar's gaze for a few heartbeats longer then whipped his head around, heading deeper into WindClan territory.

_He saw me! StarClan, I'll be in even bigger trouble now…_

Buzzardpaw paused, his chest heaving as he skidded to a halt. Along the way, he experienced another coughing fit that altered a WindClan patrol which he luckily escaped by scaring a rabbit towards them to distract them.

Now he stood in front of the fence that led to the barn, the sound of many cats on the other side making his ears perk. Buzzardpaw hesitated before leaping over, his heart racing in his chest. _StarClan, why did I come back here? I'll just make things worse! _He thought for a second, his sentiments slowly changing. _WindClan and ShadowClan are having problems with rogues, right? Maybe I can investigate! I have to find Orion! _

He leapt over the fence, a few cats ceasing their activities to stare at him. Feeling sheepish under their somewhat confused and hostile gazes, Buzzardpaw hurriedly raced across the clearing to the fence on the other side. Leaping over that one, he dove into some nearby bushes as he heard voices.

"...and you say they chased you out?" A tom was saying, his voice deep and gruff.

"Yes sir. Barely escaped with my life, those brutes are ruthless. Though I must say, one of them did not escape at all." A second tom mewed, a hint of cociness in his voice. Buzzardpaw edged deeper into the bush, not wanting to be discovered. He could see the cat's paws from where he was, one set gray and the other pitch black.

"Thank you for reporting, Pitch." The first voice said. "I want you to increase patrols around their borders. They're becoming wary of us, and we musnt back down."

"Yes sir." Pitch repiled, his raspy voice low. "We've also been keeping the she-cat's body safe from the crows sir, but the smell is becoming unbearable and she's showing signs of decay. I don't mean any disrespect, but I do believe that it's time that we bury her."

Buzzardpaw saw the gray cat's claws unsheathed from his paws, making him scoot closer to the fence on the other side. The voices were farther away now, but the coldness of the tom's voice still made his pelt stand on end. "You do what _I_ say, Pitch. And what did I say?"

Pitch's voice was quiet and reluctant. "'Keep the body safe, for that is your queen.'"

"Exactly." The voice mewed, calmer now. "If maggots are the problem, pick them out. I want the body as fresh and pristine as I brought it to you, not a single hair must be out of place. You've been given an order, and…" The voice trailed off, making Buzzardpaw freeze. "Can you smell that?"

Pitch sniffed the air audibly, humming. "Mhm. That's the smell of-"

"ThunderClan." Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop, and he rushed to the fence that was a few fox lengths away. He scrabbled under the opening at the bottom, but quickly realized that he was too big and was ultimately stuck. Buzzardpaw flailed his paws as he heard the toms behind him get closer and closer. Feeling something grab his scruff, Buzzardpaw sighed in relief as the cat pulled him to safety. Looking behind him, Buzzardpaw came face to face with the tom named Pitch, his dark yellow eyes slitted and narrowed. The gray tom was strangely nowhere to be seen, making Buzzardpaw shudder. After staring at him for a few seconds, Pitch slowly turned around and stalked away, his tail lashing irritably. _He let me go?_

Buzzardpaw was interrupted from his thoughts as the cat that saved him spoke. "That was a close one, eh? You're lucky I was heading this way." Buzzardpaw whipped around and came face to face with a muscular, long legged she-cat with a single, piercing blue eye. Her battle-scarred, russet colored pelt shone in the bright sunlight, and her gruff raspy voice caught Buzzardpaw off guard. "Though, I've always seen you with the others. Came to pick on the misfits, hm?"

Buzzardpaw stared at her, confused. _I'm never with the other cats! What is she talking about?_ Finally able to speak, Buzzardpaw blinked rapidly. "Um… I came to see Orion. Is he here, by chance?"

"Nope." The she-cat mewed, still staring through him. "He just left. You'll have to come some other time." She began ushering him back towards the fence, stopping when a familiar sounding she-cat called out to her.

"Flurry!" The she-cat called, running closer. Buzzardpaw got a good look at her, his eyes widening once he realized who it was. "Flurry! There you are, I was just-" She paused as she saw Buzzardpaw, her eyes wide.

"Aspenpaw?"

"Buzzardpaw?" The WindClan apprentice mewed, her voice quiet.

"You know this tom?" Flurry asked, her eye flashing to Aspenpaw.

"Um, yeah I know him." Aspenpaw dipped her head awkwardly to him, which he returned. "W-What are you doing here, Buzzardpaw?"

"I was looking for my friend Orion, but I guess he isn't here. What are _you _doing here?" His voice was more accusing than he wanted, and Flurry stepped closer to Aspenpaw, her claws unsheathed.

"Oh, Orion?" Aspenpaw mewed, her tail flicking towards the direction of the barn. "He's in the barn." Buzzardpaw realized that she avoided his second question, but he didn't press further.

_I thought Flurry said that he _wasn't _here! Why would she try to keep me from seeing him? _He began to walk in the direction of the barn, but Flurry stepped in front of him. "How do I know that I can trust you?" The she-cat mewed, her eye narrowing.

"I um…"

"Flurry! Oh Flurryyyyyyyy!" Buzzardpaw relaxed at the sound of Orion's voice. The mottled tom was heading their way, his pace quickening when he noticed Buzzardpaw. "There you are, and you brought me a tom? How lovely! Best big sister ever." Orion's eyes twinkled as he blinked at Buzzardpaw.

"You know this tom?" Flurry repeated, this time to her brother.

"Yeah, that's Buzzardpaw. Isn't he cute?" Buzzardpaw felt his pelt flush with heat at the question. "He's a cool cat! I hope you weren't mean to him."

Flurry grunted her ears twitching. "Whatever. If you know him, I guess I'll back off." She stalked away towards the other side of the fence, Aspenpaw walking next to her.

Buzzardpaw blinked at Orion, who was smiling at him. "What brings you here? Normally I'm the one that goes to see you, not the other way around." He paused for a second, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Has our relationship reached the next level?"

Buzzardpaw ignored the last question, his whiskers twitching. "I came to um… ask you some questions."

"Ask me questions? What kind of questions?"

"Um…" Buzzardpaw paused, not sure what to say next. Before he could answer, two cats approached him, he recognized the faces of Snowball and Icy.

"Is that… Buzzardpaw?" Icy mewed as she got closer. Her eyes flashed as she met his, and Buzzardpaw felt the same uncomfortable feeling he had before under her intense stare. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't either." Buzzardpaw hummed, glancing at Snowball. The tom had stopped to sit next to Orion, and he stared at the ThunderClan apprentice uneasily.

"What did you come here for?" The white tom mewed, his quiet voice barely audible. Snowball was looking at his paws as he said this, and Buzzardpaw could tell that he was the shy, non-confronting type.

"He came to ask me a question, so shoo!" Orion answered for him, waving the two away with his tail. Icy hissed at him, her eyes narrowing to slits. Before she could speak, Buzzardpaw interrupted.

"Actually, I can ask all of you." The three cats stared at him interestedly, their ears perked. "There's-" He was interrupted by a loud grumble from his belly, reminding him how hungry he was. Icy blinked at him amusedly, a small purr rumbling in her throat.

"Does your belly want to ask a question too?" She mewed, swatting at his head. Buzzardpaw ducked away, blinking. "Come on, we can talk over a nice meal."

"I could eat too." Orion hummed, standing to his paws and heading towards the barn.

Icy glared at him, her voice annoyed. "No one invited you, Orion."

"I don't need to be invited, I live here!" Orion mewed, sticking his tongue out at her. "Besides, he wanted to ask _me _the question first, you guys just interrupted." He beckoned Buzzardpaw to follow him with his tail. Buzzardpaw stood, and Icy immediately rushed to his side, pressing her pelt firmly to his. Uncomfortable, he tried to step away to put some distance between them, but Icy threw herself at him again, knocking him over.

"Oh jeez, I'm so sorry!" She mewed, helping him up. "You just smell so nice, I couldn't help it."

Buzzardpaw chuckles uncomfortably. "It's alright." _This she-cat is weird! _The group finally reached the barn and sat around the smile pile of mice, each picking one for themselves. Buzzardpaw picked a plump mouse from the pile, biting into its soft flesh. Savoring the taste, he looked up to see Icy staring at him intently. She noticed that he caught her staring and looked away quickly.

After a moment of silence, the she-cat began to speak. "So um, Buzzardpaw." She scratched at her ear, seeming uncertain. "Do you… have a mate?"

Buzzardpaw choked on his mouthful of mouse, his eyes wide. Orion began to laugh loudly, falling onto his back. "Jeez Icy, way to be forward!"

"I was just wondering." She mewed, looking at her paws.

"Well that's a dumb question." A cat mewed from behind a haystack, revealing themselves to be Tom. The she-cat padded towards the group, her whiskers twitching. "Buzzardpaw obviously likes toms."

"What? There's no way. He's too buff to like toms." Icy mewed, her eyes wide.

"What does his physique have to do with him liking toms?" Argus mewed, padding from behind Tom. "Sexuality is a spectrum, and no cat lies on one end or the other. I believe that he likes both, like everycat."

"I don't like both." Snowball mewed quietly, looking sheepishly at Orion.

"Yeah, me neither!" Orion laughed. "Toms all the way!"

"No one cares about what you like, Orion! We're talking about Buzzardpaw here!" Icy hissed at him. "He obviously likes she-cats, not every tom is like you."

Buzzardpaw blinked as he listened to the cats arguing about his preference. _Are they just going to talk about me like I'm not here? _Tom blinked at him, her eyes twinkling. "Well, the only way we can find out is if we ask him. What _do_ you like, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw felt his pelt grow hot as everycat turned their attention towards him. _Oh StarClan! How did I get to be in this position? _"I um… I like-" He was cut off by a fit of coughing, bringing him down to the ground. Everycat looked at him in concern, and Argus rushed towards him.

"Woah, are you sick?" Orion mewed, his eyes wide.

"Obviously, mouse brain!" Icy hissed at him, her eyes slitted.

Argus shook his head, pressing his ear to Buzzardpaw's chest. "No, that's not a regular sickness. Listen to how dry his cough is." Buzzardpaw blinked, another sharp cough escaping his throat. "You guys remember how Pixie coughed all the time? She had asthma, and I believe he does as well. Tom, go fetch me some tansy."

Buzzardpaw shuddered, finally able to breathe. "You're a medicine cat?"

"No, my Twolegs are Cutters. They work with cats and medicine all the time, and I decided to teach myself, with herbs of course." He took the tansy from Tom, placing the yellow flowers in front of the apprentice. "Here, eat this. It'll help with your coughing." Buzzardpaw ate the herbs. "When did this start, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw blinked unsure about telling them about the Dark Forest. "Um, I fell into a really deep, dirty pool of water. It got in my nose in mouth, and ever since I have had these coughing attacks."

Argus hummed, rubbing Buzzardpaw's chest. "You've probably got the water in your lungs then. Have you ever had an experience with smoke?"

He thought for a second, then remembered. "When my mother was pregnant with me, my camp caught on fire. She was one of the last cats out, so yes, if that counts."

"There's no doubt about it then." Argus mewed. "It's a shuck you're just now experiencing the symptoms, normally cats realize they have asthma during kittenhood. You getting water in your lungs must have been the last straw."

"So this herb will cure me?"

The brown tom shook his head. "From what I understand, asthma is incurable." Buzzardpaw felt his heart drop. "The herbs will help with the coughing, but there's no complete way of stopping it."

"Oh. Thank you, Argus."

"Anytime. And don't call me Argus, that's not my name. I don't have a name." Before Buzzardpaw could question him further, the odd tom padded away, his tail swaying behind him.

"Well, that's doctor Argus for you." Tom mewed, amusement twinkling in her gaze. "Sorry about your asthma, Buzzardpaw." She followed the tom out of the barn, calling after him.

Buzzardpaw turned back to the other three, who were staring at him. Orion had a sympathetic look, and Icy was gazing at him intensely. After a long, awkward silence, Orion finally spoke. "So… you wanted to ask us something, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw's whiskers twitched, he had completely forgotten. Blinking at his friends, he shook his head. _There's no way these guys could be involved with the rogue attacks, they're too nice. It's definitely something to do with that cat Pitch... and the gray one. _Something about the gray tom's voice seemed familiar, but Buzzardpaw couldn't pinpoint it. Finally, he shook his head once more. "Nevermind, it's not important." The group chatted some more, eating more prey and enjoying each other's company. Buzzardpaw lost track of time, surprised to see the dark sky. Orion noticed too, giving him a small nod.

"The moon is rising, so you should probably get going."

"I'll escort him back home!" Icy shouted, hopping to her paws. "To make sure he stays safe, you know."

Buzzardpaw blinked, his heart filling with dread. _Am I ready to go back home? I really don't want to face Goldenstar, especially since he saw me run away. _"Actually…" He mewed, his voice quiet. "I was wondering if I could stay here."

"Stay here? Like, forever?" Icy mewed, her eyes wide.

Buzzardpaw remained quiet, and Orion shook his head. "No Buzzardpaw, you need to go home. You belong with your clan, not here with us. Last time, you were so adamant on leaving. What changed?"

After hesitating for a moment, Buzzardpaw told his friends about what happened at the Gathering, and how his parents lied to him. He was sure they wouldn't understand everything, but venting to other cats made him feel better, and he relaxed slightly. "... so I came here, because I don't want to stay there anymore. I don't think I can trust them anymore."

Orion blinked at him, his gaze warm. "Oh Buzzardpaw, I'm sorry about your parents. They can be sucky sometimes, believe me, I know." He paused, as if thinking about something. "But think about the positive things! You have a brother now, and a cool mentor. You should go back home, where your family is."

"Well I say, If he doesn't want to," Icy pitched in, "He shouldn't have to go back home! Here Buzzardpaw, I'll make your nest right next to mine." She dashed deeper into the barn, disappearing behind the tall stacks of hay.

Buzzardpaw felt a presence behind him, and a voice soon came after. "I have to say, I agree with Orion." Flurry mewed, standing behind the group. Buzzardpaw turned around to see Aspenpaw standing next to her. "Your clan needs you, Buzzardpaw, we have nothing to offer you here."

"Besides," Orion said, "You could just visit us anytime! You don't have to stay here. Whenever you feel sad, you can just vent to us." He paused, closing his eyes and placing his paw on his head dramatically. "As much as I'd like waking up to your cute face every morning, I have to let you go, because it's the right thing to do."

Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. "Fine, you convinced me. I'll go home then."

Orion grinned, his eyes glittering. "Good! Just make sure you come visit us again!"

Nodding, Buzzardpaw turned, coming face to face with Aspenpaw. "You can come with me, Buzzardapw. I can show you a faster way so you can get home quicker, and so you don't have to pass through WindClan territory." Nodding, Buzzardpaw followed the she-cat, reaching ThunderClan territory just before moonhigh. Giving the she-cat a quick thanks, Buzzardpaw raced to camp, sneaking in through the dirt palace. As he expected, the camp was empty, and he was able to slip into his den unnoticed. Closing his eyes, Buzzardpaw fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Another chapter with Orion! It may seem like these chapters are just filler and long, but trust me, every single detail is important to the plot. You'll see soon!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	23. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Buzzardpaw awoke in the Dark Forest, the soggy moss squelching between his toes. Blinking to adjust to the dim light, he looked around, realizing he was alone. A small spider scuttled around him, which he batted at absentmindedly. A few heartbeats later, something shuffled behind him, and Buzzardpaw turned to come face to face with Eaglepaw.

The ShadowClan apprentice looked low-spirited, his golden eyes dark and his tail drooping behind him. He trudged slowly, as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Buzzardpaw blinked at him in concern, wondering where his usual prideful demeanor had gone.

"Eaglepaw, are you alright?" He mewed, stepping closer. Eaglepaw remained silent, refusing to look his brother in the eye. Buzzardpaw's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering what was bothering him. "Did… Did something happen?"

Eaglepaw nodded slightly, the movement so small, Buzzardpaw could have imagined it. After what seemed like a lifetime, Eaglepaw finally opened his mouth, his voice quiet. "Mousestar was exiled."

Buzzardpaw blinked in shock. "What?"

Eaglepaw lifted his head slightly to meet his brother's eyes. "They offered her a place in the clan as an elder," He paused, his eyebrows furrowing. "But she was too prideful for that, and she left. She left her clan, she left her friends, she left… me. She left me alone."

Silent for a moment, Buzzardpaw shook his head. "No Eaglepaw, you're not alone. You have me."

Eaglepaw blinked at Buzzardpaw, his mouth agape. He suddenly rushed to his brother's side, pressing his head into the nape of his neck. "Promise me, Buzzardpaw," Eaglepaw started, his voice cracking, "promise me that you won't ever leave me. Promise me that you won't ever betray me, and you'll always be there. You're all I have left and I-I..."

Buzzardpaw shushed him, giving him a swift lick over the ear. "I promise, Eaglepaw. I'm your brother, I will never do anything to hurt you."

The two toms held the embrace for a few heartbeats, finally pulling away at the sound of a voice. Turning around, Buzzardpaw noticed Darkendstreak materializing before them, a small smirk on her face.

"Awe, what a nice, heart-felt moment between the two brothers. How cute." She sneered, her tail lashing behind her. "Now that you're done being _disgustingly_ soft, we'll get to why you're really here. Training." With that, she padded deeper into the forest, the two apprentices following closely behind.

The trio eventually stopped in a clearing Buzzardpaw had never seen before, the glowing mushrooms more plentiful and lining around the dark space. The ground was much softer here, making Buzzardpaw's feet squelch in the mud below. He looked at Darkendstresk with a puzzled look. "What are we doing here?"

Darkendstreak gazed back at him, a strange glint in her eye. "We're going to play a game."

"A game?"

She nodded, her tail twitching. "Mhm. A little cat and mouse game. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Buzzardpaw tilted his head, glancing at Eaglepaw. The ShadowClan apprentice still looked dejected, but the prospect of a game seemed to perk him up a bit. Buzzardpaw turned back to their mentor, his tail tip twitching. "How do you play?"

Darkendstreak padded towards the middle of the clearing towards a large puddle of mud. The mud was clumped and scattered everywhere, as if a cat had played in it previously. She sat down next to the brown goop, her whiskers twitching. "Earlier, I had a cat roll around in this mud puddle you see here, then run off to do something else. What I want you to do is find clues from the puddle to see who this cat is, then track him down and 'catch' him. He's probably left a few clues around." She tilted her head suggestively towards the puddle, making Buzzardpaw recoil inwardly. _Wait, she can't really be implying..._

Buzzardpaw stepped towards the puddle, his nose wrinkling. Eaglepaw stood next to him, his voice low. "You want us to _dig_?" Buzzardpaw nodded as Eaglepaw voiced his thoughts. "We're cats you know, not dogs."

Darkendstreak's eyes narrowed, but her voice remained calm. "It's good exercise. It'll build muscle." The two tom's still looked unconvinced, and Darkendstreak scoffed, her tail lashing. "Hmph! And to think I spent all this time planning a fun game for you two, you don't even appreciate it! What, you doubt my methods now?"

"I just don't see how this will make us stronger for our clans."

"It builds muscle!" Darkendstreak's pelt was bristling now, and it was obvious she was fighting to stay calm. Buzzardpaw heard the she-cat's voice tremble with suppressed frustration. "Tracking is a valuable skill any cat could have, especially during the cold moons of Leafbare. This exercise will make it easier for you both to stalk unsuspecting prey, even if that prey's scent is masked by something that would normally distract you."

Not wanting to hear her grumble anymore, Buzzardpaw blinked at her. "So… what do we do when we 'catch' this cat?"

Darkenedstreak's eyes flashed, a small smirk creeping on her face. "That's for _you_ to decide. And don't worry, I've made sure this _prey_ will be worth your while." She moved away from the pile, standing behind the two apprentices. "Well? Your prey is waiting. Get to digging!"

Still reluctant, the apprentices stood at the edge of the muddy pool, the dirty gunk seeping between their toes. Not knowing where to start, Buzzardpaw shuffled some of the mud away, annoyed by how the dirt clung to his pelt. He glanced up at Eaglepaw, who was a tail length away from him pulling at the mud unenthusiastically. Buzzardpaw heard Darkenedstreak hiss behind him, making the two apprentices dig faster.

Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes, his paws thrumming at the thick dirt, spraying brown chunks everywhere. The mud was much tougher than he thought it would be, and he felt his muscles strain to pull the dirt up. _Darkenedstreak was right about it being a good workout… but what are we even looking for?_ _An ear? A paw print? An _entire _body? This is mouse brained! _As he was thinking this, he noticed Eaglepaw pause, inspecting something closely. Buzzardpaw moved closer to see him holding a small goopy string in his claws. Eaglepaw noticed him looking at him, moving his paw so his brother could see.

"It's a hair, though I can't tell whose it is." He mewed, sniffing it. The hair was caked with mud, so much that Buzzardpaw couldn't even decipher its true color. He gave the muddy hair a gentle sniff, an extremely faint but familiar musk hitting his nostrils. _Wait a minute…_

Buzzardpaw looked around, his eyes flashing. "Where did you find that, Eaglepaw?"

Eaglepaw gestured to a shallower part of the mud pool. "Over there. I was going to keep looking over there in case I found more."

Buzzardpaw nodded, following him to the area. "I'll help." The two toms began to dig, scooping up the sticky mud lightly to check for more clues. Not too long after, Buzzardpaw scooped up a small clump, a few strings sticking out of it. Scraping away the dirt that he could with his paws, he revealed a small clump of fur, obviously from the cat they were supposed to be finding. Giving it a long sniff, he nodded, figuring out who it was. _I can tell who it is now. _He handed the clump to Eaglepaw, seemingly to be able to tell who the cat was as well. Buzzardpaw glanced at Darkendstreak who nodded at them, a small smirk on her face. _But why _him_? Did Darkendstreak do this on purpose?_

Darkendstreak rose to her paws, her tail tip twitching. "By the looks on your faces, I can tell that you've figured out who our mouse is. Now, all you have to do is catch him." Before the two toms could ask how, she began to fade away. "I'll be watching your progress from the shadows."

The two apprentices now stood alone in the clearing, knowing who they needed to find, but not knowing where to start. They sniffed around the clearing, trying to catch the warrior's scent. After a long while of searching, Buzzardpaw gave a small growl of annoyance, his whiskers twitching. "This is stupid! The scent is too faint to track."

Nodding in agreement, Eaglepaw sat on his haunches to scratch his ear. He seemed calmer now, his sorrowful demeanor from before completely gone now. "Yeah, Darkendstreak's an old spirit, she's definitely not as sharp as she thinks she is." Pausing his scratching, Eaglepaw opened his eyes, tilting his head in a random direction. He then stood to his paws, shaking his pelt. "Buzzardpaw, look!"

Buzzardpaw moved closer to see what he was looking at, not seeing anything. "At what?"

Eaglepaw padded towards the edge of the clearing, sniffing the ground. Buzzardpaw giggled at how the apprentice's tail stuck out behind him, his eyes alert and one of his paws lifted from the ground. _He looks like a dog! _"Over here, look!" Eaglepaw mewed, beckoning him over.

Buzzardpaw crouched next to him, still not able to see what his brother could in the dim lighting. "What?"

"_There_!" Eaglepaw pointed towards the mossy ground, slightly stained brown. "Pawprints! Which means-"

"Tracks!" Buzzardpaw mewed, his eyes flashing. Getting a small nod from Eaglepaw, Buzzardpaw followed behind the tom as he raced along the path of the tracks, his tail tip twitching eagerly. Buzzardpaw noticed how easily his brother navigated through the thick, dark forest, never missing a step or tripping over anything. _It must be the ShadowClan in him. He moves through the dark with such ease, _Buzzardpaw felt his pelt flush with embarrassment as he tripped over a hidden root, making his brother turn back to check on him. _And I move through the dark like a clumsy badger!_

Continuing on, the two toms came to a cross in the forest, the tracks immediately stopping. Buzzardpaw sniffed in confusion, and Eaglepaw looked around, his ears alert. "The tracks stop here." He mewed, his eyes flashing.

"Yeah, but he couldn't have just _disappeared_! Unless…"

"He climbed a tree! Come on, Buzzardpaw!" Eaglepaw rushed to a nearby tree, its crooked roots jutting out of the dark ground. Sniffing around, Buzzardpaw caught the scent of the cat, stronger than the hairs they found before, and also the smell of blood. _He was definitely here… but he's bleeding? _Eaglepaw noticed the blood as well, pointing out a few red splatters along the edge of the roots. Buzzardpaw grunted, launching himself at the trunk of the tree. _Serves him right, and we've still got to catch him!_

Pausing at the top of the tree, the two apprentices panted, catching their breath. Buzzardpaw snuffed around, the cat's scent weaker than it was on the ground. "The scent stops here, but it was stronger on the ground. Maybe he climbed up the tree, then climbed back down?"

Eaglepaw was quiet, his nose lifted towards the air. He lightly leapt down to a branch below them, the thick branch barely dipping. He looked back to Buzzardpaw, his ears twitching. "No, that can't be it. If he climbed back down, the scent around the roots would lead somewhere else, but they stopped there. So that means he climbed this tree, but leapt onto the branches of _another _one."

Buzzardpaw leapt down next to him, the branch sagging more under his weight. The smell of the cat was stronger here, and the scent seemed to drift towards a connecting branch that belonged to another tree. The two leapt onto the branch, following the growing scent. _Eaglepaw was right, he did leapt from tree to tree! But why would he? Was he being chased by somecat? _The two scrambled down from the tree they were currently on, emerging into a completely different clearing. The cat's smell was extremely strong here, indicating that he was close by. Buzzardpaw dropped to a crouch, Eaglepaw following suit.

"... all good over there." A voice was saying. _That's him! _Sure enough, two toms sat in the clearing, their backs facing the apprentices. "Also, I spoke to Pitch about the kits. He says they'll definitely be retrieved soon, their father will be picking them up." _Wait, _Pitch_? Like, the rogue I met? _Buzzardpaw felt his heart stop. _Why is he talking to the rogues? _Buzzardpaw noticed Eaglepaw shuffling next to him, tensing his shoulders to pounce. _Oh right, the _game_. We'll catch him now, then I can ask!_

"I'll get the red one, you get the prey." Eaglepaw whispered in his ear. Buzzardpaw nodded, bunching his own shoulders. With a mighty leap, he landed square on the tom's shoulders, making him yowl in panic and crash to the ground. The 'prey' rolled onto his back, his discolored eyes narrowing as he glared at Buzzardpaw.

"What's this about?" The tom hissed, struggling to get Buzzardpaw off of him.

"I've caught you. You're my prey."

"Prey? Ha! What is this, revenge for telling every cat your dad's wittle secwet?" Dragonflywing mewed in a baby voice. Using Buzzardpaw's shock, Dragonflywing threw him off, squaring his shoulders to size him up. "I'm not sorry, if you wanted me to apologize."

Feeling his body grow hot with anger, Buzzardpaw felt his pelt bristle. "You said you wouldn't tell anycat!"

Dragonflywing snickered, circling him. "I said I wouldn't tell a _single _cat, and I didnt. I told _all _of them."

Buzzardpaw growled, his tail lashing. _I just want to wipe that smug look off of his face! _He saw Eaglepaw and Foxgrowl nearby in a rough tussle, hissing and growling at each other. With a loud yowl, Buzzardpaw flung himself at Dragonflywing, slashing his claws at the warrior's face.

Hissing, the tom barely avoided the attack, jerking his head back and snapping at the apprentice's ear. Buzzardpaw hissed as Dragonflywing clamped down, kicking the tom in the belly and throwing him off. Before the winded warrior could stand up, Buzzardpaw dashed over to him, clawing ferociously at his soft belly. Blood sprayed his face and his claws became clumped with black and white fur but Buzzardpaw continued the assault, an angry red haze filling his vision. Dragonflywing weakly tried to throw him off but Buzzardpaw dug his claws in deeper, his eyes flashing in fury. Gnashing his teeth, Buzzardpaw lunged for the warrior's throat, stopping a whisker length away as a voice shouted at him.

"Buzzardpaw, stop!" Eaglepaw mewed, his eyes wide. Foxgrowl had fled a while ago, and the ShadowClan apprentice had been watching his brother fight up until that point. "He's your clanmate!"

Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in shock, realizing what he had almost done. Stepping off of the warrior, Dragonflywing hissed in his face then scampered off deeper into the woods. Looking down at his bloody paws, Buzzardpaw recoiled, realizing what he was about to do. _Would I have really killed him? My own clanmate? _He was broken from his dark thoughts by Eaglepaw placing his tail over his shoulders, comforting him. The ShadowClan apprentice was covered in blood, though it was obvious that it wasn't his. Buzzardpaw leaned into his brother's touch, his body shaking.

Shortly after, Darkendstreak materialized in front of the two toms, her eyes flashing darkly. As her body fully fazed into sight, her soft voice rang throughout the forest. "Oh, don't look so shaken you two! It was only a little scuffle. Though, I must admit that I'm impressed. I only expected Dragonflywing to be here, yet Eaglepaw handled the other warrior with impeccable form. It's obvious that you've been trained by the greatest." The she-cat circled around the two apprentices, letting her tail drag over their bodies. "What a _fun _game that was, hm? Are you looking so down because you think it's over?" Buzzardpaw and Eaglepaw remained silent, their heads hung low. Darkenedstreak purred, a small smile on her face. "Well, don't worry my dear apprentices. The fun has only _just _begun."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for only posting one chapter last week! I'll have chapters 22 and 23 posted by Friday.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltedPopsicles**


	24. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Almost a moon had passed since Mousestar had left the clan to be a loner. Eaglepaw was much quieter and rarely spoke out of turn, only having real conversations with his mentor, Gorsepaw and Quailkit. He noticed a few cats in the clan flashing him angry and uncertain looks, only increasing his reluctance to engage with them. He prefered spending time alone though, learning to enjoy his own company in the absence of his mother's.

Now he was in the forest, enjoying the fresh air as he had completed his training for the day. He noted how today's training was much more intensive than previous days, and how Vulturefeather had praised him greatly after catching a heap of prey and locking him into an inescapable move. His mentor was selected as the deputy after Flamestar received his lives, and the kind hearted tom seemed even more good natured after receiving his new position. Eaglepaw hummed quietly and sat down, the springy pine nettle floor crunching under his paws. _I wonder what it's like to be deputy… not like I'd ever know, half of the clan doesn't trust me because I'm "the son of a traitor". _He frowned, lowering his head. His mother was a very touchy subject, and all the cats close to him knew to not mention it. He perked up at the sound of someone calling his name.

"Eaglepaw? Are you out here?" A she-cat called, making him inwardly groan as he realized who the voice belonged to. Heatherflight stepped from the bushes behind him, her yellow eyes flashing as she saw him. "There you are."

"What do you want?" Eaglepaw groaned, slowly turning to face her. The she-cat was standing lightly on her paws, her tail tip twitching playfully as she gazed at him. Heatherflight had been bothering him a lot the past moon, trying her hardest to be a part of every patrol he was in and fussing at Vulturefeather when he was being "too rough".

"To see you, silly!" Heatherflight purred, padding closer. "Why are you sitting here all alone?"

"I didn't want company."

"But why not?" She was closer now, her warm breath blowing into Eaglepaw's face only a mouse length away.

"Because I don't." He mewed, his voice low. Eaglepaw closed his eyes, hoping that she would take the hint and leave him alone.

Heatherflight obviously didn't, wrinkling her nose at him. "But whyyyyyyyy?" She crawled in front of him, flopping onto her back and flailing her paws in the air. She pouted, making her eyes wide and mewled obnoxiously.

Eaglepaw scoffed, turning away. "Because you're annoying. Leave me alone."

Heatherflight rolled onto her paws, furrowing her eyebrows at him. "I bet if I was Quailkit you would want me here."

Eaglepaw narrowed his eyes, confused. "What? Where did that even come from?"

The warrior rolled her eyes, her tail lashing. "Don't think I havent noticed. You've been spending more time with that _pipsqueak _than you have with me."

"Yeah, because she's actually good company." Eaglepaw grunted, standing to his paws. He turned to walk away, but Heatherflight dashed in front of him, her eyes flashing.

"It won't work out, you know!" She meowed, her whiskers twitching. "She's just a stupid kit, and you're almost a warrior. Plus, you're too old for her."

Eaglepaw bristled, clearly annoyed. "Dont call her stupid, she has more of a brain at five moons than you will ever have in your entire lifetime." _Besides, I'm only four moons older than her!_

Heatherflight blinked, her eyebrows furrowing even further. "How interesting can a _kit _be anyways? What do you guys even talk about? How she caught a feather while sitting around the camp uselessly?" Eaglepaw growled at her, but she ignored it. "We would have _sooo _much more to talk about."

Eaglepaw glared, his tail lashing. "Like what? Like how you think my mother's a dirty traitor?"

She stepped back, her eyes wide. "Eaglepaw, I didn't know you were still mad about that. I didn't mean it!"

"You sure didn't do anything when she was exiled."

Heatherflight was quiet for a moment, her mouth wide. "Eaglepaw, she wasn't exiled, she chose to- '' She was cut off by the sound of rustling bushes. Heartbeats later, Orangepaw emerged with Swiftpaw in tow, small smirks on their faces.

"Eaglepaw, Flamestar wanted you back in camp," Orangepaw started, a knowing look on his face, "But if you're spending time with your _mate, _I guess he'll just have to wait." Swiftpaw snickered behind his brother, his face alight with mischief.

Eaglepaw scoffed, pushing past Heatherflight and the apprentices. "I'd rather stab thorns into my eyes than be considered mates with that insolent, half witted, bird brained excuse of a she-cat." He didn't turn back to see Heatherflight's reaction, instead heading back to camp.

As he slid past the large boulder that marked the entrance, Eaglepaw ducked as Chivepelt roughly bumped into him, a large branch in his jaws. He grunted at him, unable to speak due to his jaws filled with wood. Eaglepaw followed behind the warrior, his whiskers twitching. Cats were milling around, either chatting with each other or dragging materials around to rebuild dens. A half moon ago, extremely heavy rainfall flooded the camp and ruined the dens, and the clan has been working on rebuilding ever since. For the most part, the warrior's den, the apprentice's den and the nursery were practically fixed, save for a few patches in the bramble roofs. Being a hollowed dip in the ground, the medicine den suffered the worst, making Cinderpaws more irritable than usual. The den was still damp and a majority of the herbs were ruined, but the Green Leaf sun had warmed the forest, so Eaglepaw went herb hunting with Gorsepaw to help his friend restock

Eaglepaw stood in the middle of camp, blinking. _They're all acting like nothing's wrong, like they didn't exile their leader almost a moon ago. _He sighed, shaking his pelt. _It's like she didn't even matter, like they don't even care… _Eaglepaw was broken from his thoughts by a quiet voice coming from behind him.

"Hello Eaglepaw," Quailkit mewed, blinking at him. The she-kit had definitely opened up more ever since she and Eaglepaw had gotten close, though she still wasn't as bubbly as she was before her father disappeared. "How was training today?"

Eaglepaw straightened up, his tail curling over his paws as he sat down. Being around Quailkit seemed to soothe him, calming him down when he was upset or making him feel happier, even if it was only a little. _It's funny, almost two moons ago she was the most annoying cat in existence, now I actually look forward to seeing her. _"Training was good, though it was a bit more rigorous than usual."

Quailkit tilted her head, her whiskers twitching. "Maybe Vulturefeather's testing you."

"Testing me? But why?"

The she-kit shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe there's something big coming up." She looked behind him, prompting Eaglepaw to turn his head.

Flowerpaw and Tigerpaw were nearby, peeking at the two, then turning back to each other to speak in hushed voices. Eaglepaw's eyes furrowed and Quailkit moved to stand next to him. Tigerpaw then lifted his head, his eyes narrowing to slits as he glared at him. Eaglepaw narrowed his eyes. _What's his problem? _He began to bristle, which Quailkit tried to stop, but Eaglepaw ignored her. He stopped closer to the other apprentices, his voice low. "What are you gawking at, mousebrain? Do you have a staring problem?"

Flowerpaw flinched at his words, but Tigerpaw stood, his eyes narrowing as he stalked closer. "Oh, nothing special. Just a stupid, half-clan _freak_."

Eaglepaw bristled more, his tail lashing. "What did you call me?" The clan grew quiet, the cats around the camp ceasing activity to watch the two toms.

The apprentices were nose to nose now, their teeth bared as they glared at each other. Tigerpaw lifted his head, a small smirk on his face. "A stupid, half-clan freak. What are you deaf too? Does that come with being the descendant of traitors?"

Eaglepaw unsheathed his claws, his eyes flashing in anger. Quailkit pressed against his chest, shaking her head. "It's not worth it, Eaglepaw. Let's just go somewhere else."

Tigerpaw looked down at the she-kit, grinning. "You know what? I've noticed that this past moon, you two have always been together. What, is this your _mate, _Eaglepaw?" The yellow tom prodded Quailkit in the chest, making her yelp. "Shame that you rely on such a puny thing to fight your battles, though."

Eaglepaw hissed, arching his back. "I fight my own battles. I don't need anyone else."

"Prove it then." Eaglepaw lowered himself to the ground, bunching his shoulders. Before he could lunge at Tigerpaw, he was stopped by a voice calling his name.

"Eaglepaw? Eaglepaw?" Flamestar mewed, padding into the camp. The ShadowClan relaxed as he saw the apprentice, his confused expression replaced with a curious one. "I've been looking all over for you, but it seems like you're pretty busy." He gestured at Tigerpaw, who was fighting to lay his fur flat. "What's going on?"

Tigerpaw opened his mouth to say something, but Eaglepaw beat him to it. "Nothing, Flamestar, I was just having a nice chat with Tigerpaw." He could see Tigerpaw glaring at him from the corner of his eye, but ignored him. "You wanted to see me?"

Flamestar nodded, then shook his head, "I did, but there's something I need to address first." He ran to the large tree towards the side of the camp, climbing up and perching on the large branch that hung over the clearing. "All cats old enough to stalk the shadows, gather beneath the High Branch for a clan meeting!" Since a majority of the clan was already wandering around the clearing, it didn't take long for everycat to gather. Eaglepaw sat down next to Quailkit, and Tigerpaw sat a few tail lengths away, glaring at them occasionally. Eaglepaw ignored it, his golden eyes focused on his leader.

"Things have been going well for our clan," Flamestar started, his eyes sweeping over the crowd, "And though we have rebuilt, I cannot shake the nagging feeling that something big is coming. Cinderpaws and I think that the heavy rains were symbolic." A quiet murmur drifted through the group of cats. "A great storm is coming, so we must be prepared. Thus, I decided that three young cats will be advancing through the ranks early. Eaglepaw, please step forward." Eaglepaw stepped below the branch, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he gazed at his leader. "You've suffered these past few moons, I know. With the loss of your mother and a loss in trust from your clanmates, you've experienced an immense amount of pressure that any cat would crumble under; yet you didn't. You've remained strong, and you've shown great diligence and confidence in your duties. I've spoken with your mentor, and he agrees with me. Thus, I, Flamestar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to down on this apprentice."

Eaglepaw's paws trembled as he realized what was happening. _My warrior ceremony! It's really happening! I'm becoming-_

"WHAT?" A cat screeched, breaking Eaglepaw from his thoughts. Eaglepaw turned around to come face to face with Tigerpaw, who was bristling. "How does _he_ get his warrior ceremony before my brothers and I? We're a moon older than him!"

Flamestar narrowed his eyes at the yellow tom, his tail lashing. "How dare you interrupt me? This is an important ceremony, Tigerpaw!"

"Important imshmortant! You're only doing this because you pity him and no cat talks to him." Tigerpaw bristled, baring his teeth at Eaglepaw. "You think it's just because we're being mean, but no cat wants to be his friend because he's a weird, worthless, half-clan freak! Don't give him special treatment!"

Eaglepaw felt his hackles raise, but he forced them to lie flat. _I want to claw his stupid face off right now, but I need to stay calm. _He glanced atVulturefeather who had stood to his paws, glaring at Tigerpaw. "That's enough, Tigerpaw! Eaglepaw is receiving his warrior name because he's _earned _it, and doesn't tear down his clanmates! He's passed his warrior assessment, and what have you done? Show how much of a fox-heart you can be?"

Tigerpaw's claws unsheathed as he glared at the ShadowClan deputy. "You're only saying that because he's your apprentice! Let's face it, you two don't really care about him, you're just trying to relieve your guilty consciousness from letting Mousewhisker go. You aren't fooling anyone!" The cats behind them began to speak amongst each other, a majority agreeing with Tigerpaw.

"The apprentice is right! You're just pitying him!"

"He has the blood of a traitor! Why give him special treatment?"

"You've gone soft! I say we exile him with his mother!" Eaglepaw's ears flattened against his head.

"SILENCE!" Flamestar yowled, the group's noise immediately ceasing. Eaglepaw looked at his leader, whose eyes were flashing in anger. "The disrespect! You should be ashamed, ALL OF YOU! You mongrels have the audacity to interrupt such a sacred ceremony and give _me _cheek? I should shred you all to mousedust! Eaglepaw's done nothing but prove himself to be loyal to the clan, and this is how you repay him? You're no better than rogues!" Eaglepaw could hear the blood roaring in his ears in anger. _Flamestar's right! I have not wronged them in any way, I'm doing my best! _"And as for you Tigerpaw," Flamestar growled from clenched teeth, his claws piercing the branch he perched on, "Since you're responsible for this disturbance, you _and _your brother's will be punished. Your warrior ceremonies are being delayed by two moons!"

Orangepaw and Swiftpaw stood, whining. "Why do we have to be delayed too?"

"We didn't do anything!"

Tigerpaw sprang to his paws, hissing in protest. "That's not fair!"

Flamestar scoffed, his tail lashing. "Not fair? Not fair! The only thing that is not fair, is you denying Eaglepaw a respectful and honorable warrior ceremony. I've heard enough from you. If I hear another mew, I'm adding another moon to your punishment."

Tigerpaw's mouth opened and closed a few times, his eyes wide. Defeated, the yellow tom stalked away, shooting a deadly glare at Eaglepaw. Eaglepaw ignored it, a small smirk on his face. _That's what you get, mousebrain! _Turning his attention back to his leader, Eaglepaw's whiskers twitched as the flame colored tom blinked at him sympathetically.

"Does anyone else wish to interrupt?" Flamestar growled, his tail lashing. No cat said a word, and Flamestar straightened up, flattening his pelt. "Good. We'll get on with the ceremony then. I, Flamestar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in their turn. Eaglepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Eaglepaw nodded, his body trembling in excitement. "I do." _I wish Buzzardpaw and Mousestar were here to see this!_

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Eaglepaw, from this moment you will be known as Eagleheart. StarClan honors your determination and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

Eagleheart turned to face the group, his chest puffed out in pride. He ignored the shady looks received from Tigerpaw and a few others, turning his attention to Quailkit who was dashing towards him.

"Eagleheart, wow! I wanted us to train as apprentices together, but you're a warrior now!" She smiled at him.

Eagleheart smiled back at her, his golden eyes warm. "I sure wasn't expecting it, but I'm happy. I'll do my best to protect you."

Quailkit opened her mouth to say something, but was pushed aside by Heatherflight. The brown she-cat rolled her eyes at the kit, turning her gaze to Eagleheart. "He doesn't want to talk to you, stupid kit. Come on Eagleheart, you can make your nest next to mine." Eagleheart grunted, ignoring her. He motioned for Quailkit to sit next to him, then lifted his head to look back at Flamestar.

"That wasn't the only ceremony being held this evening. Ashkit and Quailkit, please step forward." Eagleheart looked down at Quailkit in confusion, his whiskers twitching. _They aren't six moons yet! They have another quarter moon. _Quailkit stepped forward with her brother, her eyes wide. "I am aware that these two kits have not reached six moons, but I believe it is best for them to be apprenticed early, in preparation for what's to come. A great storm is coming and I want our clan to be ready. Ashkit, from this day forward, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ashpaw. Your mentor will be Eagleheart." Eagleheart blinked in shock. _What?!_ "I hope Eagleheart will pass down all he knows on to you. Eagleheart, you have received excellent training from Vulturefeather, and you have shown yourself to be diligent and dependable. You will be the mentor of Ashpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

"Flamestar's definitely giving him special treatment now." Eagleheart heard a voice behind him. "What warrior gets an apprentice literally _right _after receiving their warrior name?"

"I say we watch this play out." Eagleheart recognized Tigerpaw's low growl and forced himself to remain calm. "There's no way he'll be a good mentor, he's younger than me! I'll enjoy watching him crumble under the pressure." Eagleheart blinked, looking at Ashpaw, who had turned around to face him. _I can do this. Flamestar wouldn't set me up for failure, would he? _He touched his nose to Ashpaw's, then sat back down.

Flamestar nodded from his perch, his eyes flashing. "Quailkit, from this day forward, you will be known as Quailpaw. Your mentor will be Heatherflight." Quailkit turned to her new mentor warily, who was looking right through her. "Heatherflight, I expect you to pass down your quick wit and swiftness down to young Quailkit." Eaglepaw watched as the two she-cats touch noses, the tension between them apparent.

"Ashpaw, Quailpaw, Eagleheart! Ashpaw, Quailpaw, Eagleheart!" The clan cheered. Eagleheart felt his chest swell with pride. _I don't know what's coming next, but I do know that I'll give my all to protect my clan!_ Flamestar leapt down from the High Branch, dismissing the clan with a flick of his tail. Eagleheart started to pad away with Quailpaw, but was stopped by his leader, who beckoned him to his den.

Eagleheart sat on the mossy ground, his tail curling over his paws. Vulturefeather shortly joined the two toms after assigning a few patrols, and Flamestar began to speak. "Eagleheart… I apologize on behalf of everyone else. You don't deserve to be treated that way. If you have any problems with anycat, you let me know."

Eagleheart shook his head, his whiskers twitching. "Don't worry, Flamestar. I don't care for their harmless teasing, it won't affect me in any way."

Flamestar nodded, humming quietly. "Is it too much? Giving you an apprentice I mean. Having an apprentice is a big responsibility, and I don't want to put too much pressure on you."

Eagleheart shook his head once more. "I can handle it, I'm more excited than anything. Ashpaw and I will get along just fine."

"Well, I guess I have nothing to worry about then." The flame colored tom mewed. "Now, onto what I called you in for. Vulturefeather and I have been talking for awhile, and we want you to go on a quest."

"A quest?"

Vulturefeather nodded. "We want you to look for Mousewhisker."

Eagleheart perked up, his eyes widening. Flamestar smiled slightly, tapping his paw to the ground. "Not today of course, maybe after your first day of training with Ashpaw."

"But why? Why do you want me to look for her, and why did you wait a whole moon to ask me?" Eagleheart tried his best to seem as unaccusing as possible, keeping his body still.

"We're worried about the rogues. YOu know how we've been catching their scent a lot this past moon, and we want to make sure she's safe. We didn't ask you before because we didn't want the clan to doubt you." _They already do, but they don't have to anymore. I'm a warrior now! _Vulturefeather paused. "This would have to be a journey to take alone, Eagleheart, and though you have extraordinary fighting capabilities, I can't help but worry. Do you think you can do this?"

Eagleheart nodded, wanting to leap to his paws. "I can, I'm not afraid of any rogues. If they even _think_ about laying a claw on my mother, I'll make them wish they were never born."

Flamestar smiled, his eyes flashing with pride. "That's the spirit. It's not sundown yet, so you have a while before you sit vigil. Go out, enjoy your first day as a warrior."

Eagleheart dipped his head to his leader, exiting the den and dashing out of camp. He breathed in the scents of the forest, the fresh smell of pine and prey filling his nostrils. Eagleheart, made his way down to the lake, his ears twitching as he listened to the life going on around him. The quiet, cool water lapped over his paws, filling his body with a deep calm. _After becoming a warrior, even the foret feels different! _Eagleheart was broken from his thoughts by a loud yowl coming somewhere behind him, and he rushed towards the sound, his pelt bristling in alarm.

In a small clearing, Nettleclaw, Oatblossom, Shrewpounce and Swiftpaw were standing around a small figure. Eagleheart stepped closer to see the body of a she-cat, her brown pelt bloody and dirty. Flies buzzed around the body, indicating that it had been there for a while. A clean cut sliced her throat open and her legs and tail were bent at awkward angles, the bone jutting out of each limb. The she-cat's mouth was agape and her clouded green eyes were wide with a horrified expression. Her soft, cream and white belly was flattened unnaturally and a disgusting mass of entrails spewed from her rear, filling the air with a revolting smell. Eagleheart stared at the she-cat's body for a moment longer, his stomach tightening and his heart dropping as he recognized who it was.

_Mousestar!_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Chapter 22! Poor Mousestar! Things are definitely starting to get serious here! Also, Eaglepaw earned his warrior name, Eagleheart! Do you like it?**

**Thanks for Reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	25. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Itchy." Mottleddusk mewed, scratching behind his ear.

Buzzardpaw dipped a thin stick in the mouse bile Speckledlight gave him earlier, smearing the putrid pulp behind the tom's ear. Buzzardpaw wrinkled his nose at the smell, closing his eyes. _Russetprowl wasn't kidding when he said I would be tending to the elders for the rest of my days, I've been in here every day for the past moon! _Plucking the dislodged tick from behind Mottledsusk's ear, Buzzardpaw crushed it under his paw, thinking about his training earlier. Russetprowl was still upset with him for running away that night, but was slowly getting over it. He grabbed the stick again, dabbing o more bile to tend to Elkpool.

"It's fine, Buzzardpaw, you removed all my ticks yesterday." Buzzardpaw nodded, preparing to leave, but stopped when the she-cat kept talking. "Come, why don't you sit with us for a while? How was training today?"

"It was alright." Buzzardpaw mewed, pausing for a moment. "I think Russetprowl is still mad at me for running away."

"What?" Elkpool mewed.

"I think Russetprowl is still upset that I ran away." Buzzardpaw said, louder this time.

The brown she-cat blinked sympathetically, her whiskers twitching. "Oh, I'm sure he's gotten over that. He just wants you to make up with your father."

Buzzardpaw grunted, rolling his eyes. He still refused to forgive Goldenstar, turning his head away or ignoring his father whenever he tried to make small talk. Goldenstar would always greet him after training, complimenting his catches or praising his fighting skills, but Buzzardpaw was still unmoved. Fawnleap tried scolding him about it, and he simply ignored her as well. "I don't want to forgive him."

"Well why not?" Elkpool mewed, her head tilting. "His relationship with Mousestar was a surprise to ThunderClan as well, and we've forgiven him."

"It's not the same. He didn't hide _kin _from you, just a secret. If he would have just told me before, I wouldn't be mad at him right now."

Elkpool purred, a small, raspy sound. "You know who you remind me of? Your grandfather, Antlerstar. He was stubborn too, you know."

"What?" Mottleddusk mewed, rather loudly.

"I said, he reminds me of Antlerstar!"

Mottleddusk scoffed next to her, shaking his head. "No, he's more like his great uncle, Moosestar. Now _that _was a stubborn cat."

Elkpool hummed. "I wouldn't really call Moosestar stubborn, he was just very persistent. If that Moosestar had an idea, you bet StarClan he would stick with it." She flashed an amused look at Buzzardpaw. "Now that I think about it, you are very much like that. You just happen to be persistent with not forgiving your parents." The two elders grew silent, a wistful look in their eyes.

Buzzardpaw looked down at his paws. Moosestar was rarely talked about in the clan, for reasons Buzzardpaw didn't know about. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. "What happened to Moosestar, anyways? All I know is that he died young, but why does no cat talk about him?"

The two elders were quiet for a heartbeat longer, seeming hesitant. After a while, finally Mottleddusk began to speak. "You know about The Great Crack, the deep chasm that wraps around ThunderClan and ShadowClan, right?" Buzzardpaw nodded. "Well, it wasn't always there. The Great Crack used to be a lush forest, so thick that no cat could claim it as territory." The gray tom paused, his voice quieter. "One day, only a quarter moon after Moosestar received his nine lives, Moosestar decided that he wanted to investigate the area, to see if ThunderClan could claim some of it. He brought a small patrol along with him; himself, Elkpool, Antlerstar - who was Antlerstrike at the time - and I. I thought it would be a good idea if we split into two groups, with Elkpool and I exploring one part, and he and Antlerstar exploring another." Mottleddusk's eyes clouded, and Elkpool ran her tail along his spine comfortingly. "It happened so quickly, the ground started to shake violently and the Earth itself began to break apart. Deep cracks formed in the ground, the sound was deafening… that's why Elkpool and I are hard of hearing now. Antlerstar almost lost his hearing completely, thank StarClan he didn't. After the world stopped trembling, Elkpool and I ran through the debris in search of Moosestar and Antlerstar. We were too late. The Great Crack swallowed Moosestar whole, and killed him way before his time. The trench is so deep, he couldn't find his way to StarClan for seasons." Mottleddusk's voice cracked, and his eyes welled with tears. "If we hadnt split up, if I hadnt suggested it like a stupid mouse brain, I could have saved him. Moosestar would be here today. He died so young…"

Elkpool blinked at him, her eyes cloudy as well. "Don't blame yourself, Mottleddusk. You know what blame did to Antlerstar, how it infected his mind. There was nothing we could do, not even StarClan could have predicted The Great Crack happening." The she-cat sighed, turning her gaze to Buzzardpaw. "Moosestar's death is a touchy subject for many cats in the clan, especially those that were alive during his short leadership. His death greatly affected his brother, and Antlerstar descended into a deep depression, losing faith in StarClan, his family, himself. Moosestar's death brought suffering and sadness to every cat in the clan, especially to Antlerstar and his son." She paused, a wise look in her eyes. "Goldenstar has brought better times to ThunderClan, he rebuilt us from dust and made us strong again. We were quick to forgive him because we know he's been through a lot, he's _going _through a lot. What I'm saying, Buzzardpaw, is that life is short. Goldenstar is still relatively young - StarClan forbid he dies anytime soon - and you two have many, many, many season's to spend together, but you don't want to look back when you're a warrior and regret the moons you spent ignoring him. Goldenstar was neglected by his father, so family and clanship are one of the most important things to him, which is why he lied so long to protect us. He may put on a brave face now, but trust me Buzzardpaw, you're really hurting him." She sighed. "What he did wasn't right, I know, and I'm not blaming you for it at all, I just think that you need to see things from his perspective. He only wants the best for us, for _you_."

Buzzardpaw remained quiet, looking down at his bile stained paws. _I didn't know that about Moosestar, about dad. Our clan has been through a lot, and Goldenstar's treason has only added to our suffering, yet they still forgave him. _He lifted his head to gaze into Mottleddusk's sad amber eyes. _Am I wrong for not doing so as well? _ He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned to come face to face with Speckledlight, her jaws stuffed with herbs. "Have you finished removing the elder's ticks?" She mumbled around the leaves.

Buzzardpaw nodded, standing to his paws. "Mottleddusk and Elkpool were telling me a story."

The medine cat smiled, placing the herbs down. "Well, isn't that nice! I brought your herbs for your cough, but you can just eat them later."

Buzzardpaw looked down at the leaves, recognizing catmint, tansy, chickweed and a thick poultice spread on a leaf. _Bright eye and lovage, with honey smeared on top. _Buzzardpaw was given this mixture of herbs every other sunrise, usually right before he started training. Speckledlight had made up this concoction herself in an attempt to soothe his athema. 'It won't cure your cough completely, my mentor has dealt with this before, but taking it every other sunrise will help with your wheezing and short breath. Just make sure you eat it!' She had said a quarter moon ago, after Buzzardpaw experienced another coughing fit outside of her den. He remembered Goldenstar and Fawnleap bursting in, their eyes filled with worry, and turning his head away to ignore them. Buzzardpaw felt a twinge of regret in his chest. _They were just worried about me… StarClan I'm such a jerk. _Grabbing his herbs, Buzzardpaw mewed a farewell to the elders, heading to a secluded corner of camp to eat his medicine. Gulping down the icky plants, Buzzardpaw licked his jaws, and looked around the busy camp.

The clan had rebuilt after the heavy rains half a moon ago, only a few dens needing to be patched up or replaced with new materials. _It's a wonder how our camp didn't flood, _Buzzardpaw thought, _seeing that we live in a gorge and all. I know that ShadowClan isn't doing too well. _ShadowClan's thick, pine and moss floor didn't do a good job with absorbing the rainwater, leading to the marsh flooding and devastating their camp. Goldenstar offered to help, but was promptly sent away by their new leader, Flamestar. Buzzardpaw hummed, licking up his herb poultice. _I can't blame them for chasing him away, he's already done enough to their clan. _As the setting sun began to fill the camp with an orange light, Buzzardpaw rolled onto his back, closing his eyes to soak in the last rays. He opened them as he heard a rustling coming from the thorn barrier.

Dragonflywing emerged through moments later, poking his head in and out of the camp. Buzzardpaw narrowed his eyes, rolling back onto his belly. The warrior was more cautious around him after their "game" with Darkendstreak, his teasing only a few snide remarks or an "accidental" bump on the shoulder. Buzzardpaw grunted, his tail lashing back and forth. He remembered Dragonflywing's comment about Pitch, and even caught the warrior visiting the barn once. Buzzardpaw remembered hiding behind a bush with Orion, who commented that Dragonflywing visited the barn quite often. _I don't know what he's up to, but I don't like it. _Dragonflywing caught his eye and glared, ducking back out of the camp. Shrugging, Buzzardpaw rolled back onto his back, exposing his belly to the dying sun.

Suddenly feeling something touching his tail, Buzzardpaw opened his eyes to see Springkit prodding him with her paw, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. Realizing that he saw her, the she-kit leapt onto the apprentice's belly, knocking the wind out of him. Gunting, Buzzardpaw lightly pushed her off, shaking the dust from his pelt. "You're getting heavier. Soon enough, you'll be bigger than me!"

Springkit stood on her back legs, batting at his nose playfully. "You wish! You're not even big, you're just fat!" Buzzardpaw feigned hurt, and the cream she-kit giggled. "Why were you lying like that anyways? You looked like a dead bug!"

Buzzardpaw shrugged. "The warm sun feels good on my belly, You should try it sometimes."

"And look silly? No way!" She began to bat at his leg, her small claws unsheathed. Buzzardpaw was unaffected, her claws too tiny to penetrate through his thick pelt. Springkit noticed this quickly, looking dejected. "See what I mean? You're fat!"

Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. "It's not fat, its fluff."

"It's fat!"

"It's not."

"It is!" She poked at his belly, her paw sinking into the fur. "See! Fat!" She began to prance around, her tail high in the air. "Buzzardpaw is faaat, Buzzardpaw is faaaat, fat fat fat!"

Buzzardpaw cuffed her over the ears, making her giggle and squeal. She scampered away, dashing back to tackle him, but Buzzardpaw dodged. As she picked herself up from the ground, Buzzardpaw shook his head. "Where are your siblings?"

Springkit shook the sand from her pelt, her whiskers twitching. "Brindlekit is asleep, and Softkit is being boring, like always. That's all they ever do, sleep or just sit around and do nothing!"

"Well, you don't have to worry when Koipatch and Quailblink's kits arrive. Then you'll have more friends to play with." The two she-cats had moved to the nursery right before the storm had come, their bellies growing bigger and heavier with kits.

"Yeah, but mama says I have to wait until they're at least a moon old before I can play with them! I'll be four moons by then, almost a whole apprentice! I don't want to play with kittens!"

Buzzardpaw hummed, understanding. "Well, are you hungry? I was about to grab some freshkill."

Springkit shook her head. "I'm not hungry, and I don't want to eat with you! You have that stinky stuff on your paws!" Buzzardpaw looked down at his paws, realizing that they were still green with mouse bile. He sighed, knowing that he would have to wash it off if he wanted to taste his food at all. "Besides, I came out here looking for papa. Have you seen him around?"

Buzzardpaw shook his head, not knowing where the tom was either. "Sorry kit, I haven't seen him either." Just as he said this, Palecloud padded through the thorn barrier, his jaws filled with prey. Dropping his catch onto the freshkill pile, the ThunderClan deputy ran over to the two, scooping Springkit onto his back. The two bounded away, Springkit's squeals filling the camp. Watching them leave, Buzzardpaw smiled, closing his eyes.

When Buzzardpaw woke it was moonhigh, the silver moon masking the camp with a pale silver glow. Buzzardpaw lifted his head from his paws, groaning as he realized that some of the mouse bile had stuck to his face. _Mouse dung! _He began to scratch the clumps off with his back paw, pausing as the thorn barrier began to rustle.

Goldenstar padded through the barrier, his eyes flashing as he looked around the empty camp. Once he noticed Buzzardpaw, the ThunderClan leader paused, looking hesitant. After a few tense heartbeats Goldenstar finally approached, his whiskers twitching.

"Hello, Buzzardpaw." The massive tom mewed, his voice uncertain. Buzzardpaw gave his father a small nod, and Goldenstar, looking defeated for a heartbeat, continued. "What are you doing outside? It's late."

Buzzardpaw stared at his father, reading him. Goldenstar looked as strong and healthy as ever, but Buzzardpaw could sense a deep sadness within him. He thought back to what Elkpool said, her voice echoing in his head. '_He only wants what's best for us, for _you_.' I have to make up with him, but something's holding me back. _Shaking his head, Buzzardpaw winced inwardly at his father's dejected expression. _Stop being a jerk, Buzzardpaw. Just talk to him. _Forcing the words to come out, Buzzardpaw mewed quietly, "I fell asleep by accident."

Goldenstar's eyes widened to the size of moons, as if he was surprised that he wasn't being ignored. _He probably is. _His mouth gaping, the ThunderClan leader began to smile, his eyes lighting up. "Oh, I'm so happy you're talking to me again. How was training today? How have you been doing? Are you hungry? Do you want some prey? We can eat together if you're hungry."

Buzzardpaw listened to his father excitedly ramble on, his mind wandering. _He's so happy, I didn't realize how sad he was before. _His belly began to rumble, answering his father's last question. "I am hungry, actually."

"That's great! I mean, it's not great, but I'm glad you want to eat with me."

Goldenstar stood and padded to the freshkill pile with Buzzardpaw in tow. The two toms grabbed a plump finch to share, sitting side by side. Opening his mouth to take a bite, Buzzardpaw paused as a foreign but at the same time familiar scent washed over his gland. He looked at his father, realizing the scent was coming from him. _Is that…? No, it can't be. Why would he-_

"Something wrong, Buzzardpaw?" Buzzardpaw was broken from his thoughts by his father's gentle mew. "You haven't taken a bite yet."

Staring at his father for a second, Buzzardpaw shook his head, taking a big bite from the juicy prey. _That can't be it, I'm just confused. _Rolling the meat around on his tongue, Buzzardpaw savored the taste and scooted closer to his father. _I should treasure moments like these, especially since our family has a history of bad luck. _He looked at Goldenstar, whose eyes were warm as he gazed back. _Not saying that anything bad will happen to him, I'll protect dad with my life! _Taking another bite of the prey, Buzzardpaw realized that he had not yet apologized to his father. _I've been a jerk lately, and I feel bad. _Letting out a long sigh, Buzzardpaw let his thoughts flow. "Goldenstar I-"

Buzzardpaw was cut off by the bramble barrier rustling violently, Dragonflywing bursting through carrying a small, furry mass in his jaws. Dropping the body, the tom's eyes flashed wildly as he yowled, "Bluebubble is dead!"

Goldenstar raced towards the warrior with Buzzardpaw hot on his heels. The apprentice's eyes widened as he looked at the gray tom, his body stiff, cold and covered in deep wounds. Goldenstar shifted the tom's head, revealing a clean cut on his throat. Lifting his head, the ThunderClan leader turned his darkened eyes towards Dragonflywing. "What happened?"

The black and white tom flattened his ears to his head. "Rogues attacked him! I heard a commotion by the WindClan border and came to see him fighting two cats… I was too late, and they roughed me up too!" Peering closer, Buzzardpaw could see a few scratches on the tom's pelt, but they definitely weren't as gruesome as Bluebubble's wounds. Looking at the warrior, Buzzardpaw felt his pelt prickle with alarm. _Something's not right here…_

Goldenstar's eyes flashed and his pelt began to bristle. "Rogues? But I thought they lived by WindClan! Why would they come all the way over here, just to attack my warriors?"

"I don't know!" Dragonflywing yowled, his voice lifted to the sky. "We have to do something about this Goldenstar, we cant let them get away with this!"

Buzzardpaw looked around as cats began to emerge from their dens, roused from the warrior's shouting. The bleary eyed warriors gathered around the body, their confused faces quickly turning to horrified ones. He watched as a cat pushed their way through the crowd, revealing themselves to be Cherrystrike.

"What's all of this shouting for-" The tom stopped mid-sentence as he recognized the body, immediately dropping to the ground. "Bluebubble? Bluebubble, NO!" Cherrystrike began to sob loudly, his muzzle pressed to his mate's flank. "Who did this to him?"

"Rogues!" Dragonflywing answered, his tail high in the air. "Rogues did it!"

"I'll kill them all!" Cherrystrike growled, rising to his paws. The tom's eyes were red and puffy as he whipped his head to his leader. "Goldenstar, we're going to do something about this, right?"

Goldenstar remained silent for a moment, flexing his claws. He lifted his head to address the cats around him. "The Gathering is tomorrow, I'd like to discuss with the other clans to figure out what we should do. These rogues are dangerous, and I don't want to put any of you in harm's way."

"Why can't we just attack them ourselves?" Dragonflywing growled. "They're just a group of heartless rogues, there's no way they can defeat us!" A few cats murmured their agreement, causing the warrior to puff out his chest in pride. _He's too casual about this. There's something else here… _Dragonflywing turned his head to lock eyes with Buzzardpaw for a moment, smirking, then turned his head away. Buzzardpaw furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"You see how brutally they've murdered Bluebubble." Goldenstar hummed, shaking his head. The ThunderClan leader looked upset, and Buzzardpaw could see that he was struggling to keep his composure in front of the clan. _Poor dad, he doesnt deserve this. _"This wasn't an ordinary skirmish, Dragonflywing, no, this attack seems coordinated and organized." He turned to Cherrystrike, whose tail was lashing. "Bluebubble would normally take walks alone around this time of night, yes?"

The red tom nodded, too distraught to speak.

"Then the rogues have been spying on us, somehow. How else would they know when Bluebubble would be alone, unless they've been observing the clan? They've also been terrorizing WindClan, an entire clan! These rogues are tactful and cunning, they aren't some ordinary bunch. We'll have to deal with them with caution." Buzzardpaw listened to his father speak, his eyes wide in awe. _He's handling this with so much confidence… I can only wish to be like that in the future. _The cats within the group began to nod, agreeing with their leader. _He can change a cat's mind, just like that! Elkpool's right, Goldenstar is a great leader!_

"What do you advise we do next, then?" Dragonflywing mewed lowly, seeming irritated. "Just wait for some other cat to be ambushed and killed? We'll seem weak!"

Goldenstar shook his head, locking eyes with his son. "No. We'll discuss with the other clans at the Gathering. I don't think these rogues are anything like the clans have seen before, StarClan knows what else they've done to the other clans. We should not take this lightly, we need to organize and unite." Turning his head to Dragonflywing, Goldenstar gave the warrior a stern look. "As for your original question, we'll send out extra patrols. I expect every cat to be alert. No cat - and I mean this - is allowed to go outside of camp alone." Goldenstar swept his gaze around the crowd, locking eyes with Buzzardpaw once more. "_None_."

Buzzardpaw blinked, taken aback. _Was that last comment meant for me? _He shook his head, meeting his father's gaze. _Well too bad! I'm going to the barn tomorrow to get answers! Hopefully Orion will know something about this…_

Goldenstar lowered his head to Bluebubble's, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Now, we sit vigil for Bluebubble and honor his life. It's tragic how it was cut short, but now he gets to hunt with his family in StarClan." The leader touched his nose to Bluebubble's head, his tail drooping. "Bluebubble was a loyal warrior, and it is only fair that we find justice for his unnecessary death. Those that wish to remain with him, feel free to do so. We will not let these rogues tear down ThunderClan!"

Palecloud nodded at his leader, stepping forward. "You've heard him, times are going to be different now. Remember, no cat is allowed out of camp without another accompanying them. I'll be sending out two dawn parols in the morning, so get some rest so we can be prepared."

The crowd began to disperse, a few cats lingering to spend a few more moments with Bluebubble. Cherrystrike sat by the tom's body, his shoulder's hunched and his eyes vacant. Buzzardpaw felt his heart swell with pity for the tom, and turned his head to his father. Goldenstar was walking besides Dragonflywing towards the leader's den, their voices too low to be deciphered, though Buzzardpaw could see the tension between them from where he stood. Buzzardpaw stared at the black and white warrior, his cocky demeanor filling Buzzardpaw with suspicion. Stalking to his den, Buzzardpaw curled into his nest, his eyes focused on Bluebubble's lifeless body. _Don't worry, Bluebubble, I'll get to the bottom of this! Your death will not be in vain!_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Two chapters in one day! Poor Bluebubble has been killed as well! Do you think Dragonflywing had something to do with his death, or do you think he was telling the truth? Let me know in a review!**

**Thanks for reading!  
**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	26. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Eagleheart? Eagleheart!"

Eagleheart stared forwards blankly, his eyes wide and vacant. He barely heard the voice calling out to him, the voices and sounds droning in his head musch too loudly. _She's dead… She's _dead… _She's _DEAD_!_

After discovering Mousestar's body in the forest, the patrol had brought it back to camp. Eagleheart was too stunned to move, having to be dragged back to camp as well. Once Mousestar's body was placed in the middle of the clearing, the camp fell to a stunned, horrified silence. Then, as the great wave of realization washed over them, the ShadowClan cats began to weep, crying out their sorrows to the night sky. Eagleheart remembered seeing every cat paying their respects to the fallen leader, even those that spoke out against her the day of her exile. _The day they kicked her out, like a worthless piece of crowfood! _

Eagleheart remembered standing near Mousestar's body, watching the cats around him apologize and express their regret for their actions. He stared at them blankly, too overwhelmed to understand what was going on. Then, it happened. Eagleheart snapped on them all, cursing and screaming, calling them 'mangy fox hearts' and telling them they didn't deserve to live. He reminded them about how quick they were to cast Mousestar out, and how their sadness is all a facade and they truly don't care. A few cats rounded on him, mainly Tigerpaw and Chivepelt, but Flamestar separated the three, scolding the others about their insensitivity. Eagleheart remembered Quailkit running to speak to him but pushing her away, instead racing out of camp to be alone. _They're all traitors. They're only sad because they know they're the reason Mousestar is dead!_

"Eagleheart!"

Shaken from his thoughts, Eagleheart took in his surroundings, realizing that he was in a forest, but not the forest that belonged to ShadowClan. The ground beneath his paws was soft with lush green grass, and a clear, shiny creek babbled near him. Plump mice and voles skittered around his paws and sweet birdsong sounded through the serene greenery, but Eagleheart was too confused to catch anything. Great trees towered around him, soft, yellow sunlight cutting through their dense leaves and illuminating the area with an ethereal glow. _What is this place?_

"Eagleheart!" The voice called out again.

Eagleheart looked around for who the voice could belong to, his question answered by a cat materializing in front of him. A small she-cat slowly appeared, a gentle smile on her delicate brown face. Small glowing stars lined her pelt, and her familiar, warm green eyes confirmed his suspicion of who it was. _Mousestar! _Eagleheart ran to his mother, attempting to press his head to hers but phasing through. _What?_

Mousestar chuckled, her eyes glowing lovingly as she stared at her son. "You didn't let me finish." After a few heartbeats her body became more clear, the stars lining her pelt twinkling dimly. Mousestar pulled her son in closer with her tail, pushing her head underneath his chin. "I've missed you so much, and my, have you grown? I cant even reach your shoulder anymore!"

Eagleheart started forward, embracing his mother's touch. A lone tear fell from his eye, splattering on Mousestar's head. The she-cat looked up, a sorrowful smile on her face. Finally, he managed to croak out, "Are you really dead?"

Mousestar nodded, her eyes darkening. "Yes."

"Who did it?" Eagleheart began to bristle. "I'll kill them myself! You let me know who it is, mother and I'll-" He was cut off by his mother placing her tail over his jaws.

"No, Eagleheart. I admire your bravery, but this is not something that you should face alone." Mousestar sighed, sitting down. "I was killed by rogues. They slit my throat and left me out to die, but they didn't realize that I was still listening." Her eyes glazed over. "Those rogues are extremely dangerous, Eagleheart. They're cold blooded murderers and they're building an army."

Eagleheart stood in a stunned silence. _An _army_? But why? What do they have against the clans? _He swallowed, his eyes wide. "How many are there?"

Mousestar shook her head. "Too many to count. I believe their numbers rival all the clans put together." _More than the clans put together?_ "But their motive is clear: They want to destroy the clans."

"But why?" Eagleheart had to sit down, his head was spinning too fast. "What did the clans do to them?"

The she-cat shrugged, her whiskers twitching. "I don't know any background information, all I know is that the clans should be worried. Their leader is a cruel tyrant, he's training kittypets and loners to fight to the death. Dire times are coming to the clans, Eagleheart, and I need you to be strong."

Eagleheart blinked at his mother, his eyes welling with tears. "It's hard to be strong without you, mother."

Mousestar clicked her tongue, pulling him in closer to touch her head to his. "Oh, that's nonsense. You've been doing so well this past moon, and look at you! You've earned your warrior name, _and _you have an apprentice now!" She chuckled. "Why, if anything, I'd say that you're doing better without me trampling over your paws."

He shook his head. "I only think Flamestar gave me my warrior name out of pity. He had no reason to do so otherwise, especially before Tigerpaw and the others. And I definitely wish you could be there with me, the clan kind of hates me now."

Mousestar sighed, pulling away. "They don't hate you Eagleheart, they're just hurt. Remember, leaving the clan was _my _choice, not theirs. Sure, there may be a few vocal cats here and there, but that's just ShadowClan. It may seem that they're against you, but really, they adore and cherish you like any other clan mate. You're _my _son, Eagleheart. You're destined for great things, remember that."

Eagleheart nodded, taking in his mother's sweet scent. _I'm upset that it has to be this way, but at least I get to see her. Those rogues will pay for what they did, I'll make sure of it. _Eagleheart stared at his mother, who smiled warmly at him. _She seems happy now, but I can't help but feel like there's something deeper going on, and I can't shake this nagging question… _"Mousestar?"

"Mhm?"

"What were you doing around the rogues, anyways?"

Mousestar's happy demeanor immediately flipped, and her smile dropped to a frown. As soon as her expression changed, Mousestar attempted to return to her previous manner, but Eagleheart had already noticed. "I was handling business."

"Business?" Eagleheart pressed. "What _business _would you have with the rogues?"

Mousestar shook her head and sighed. "Eagleheart, there will be times in life where you think you're doing the wrong thing, but in the bigger picture, you're helping build a new future." _What in StarClan's name does that mean? _"There will also be times where you believe you're doing the right thing, but in reality it's wrong."

Eagleheart blinked, confused. "How can I tell the difference then?"

Mousestar hummed. "That, my son, is where you use your judgement to tell. I've made decisions in my past that other's knew were wrong, that _I _knew were wrong, but I continued on because I knew it would be worth it. Like you for example." Eagleheart flinched, shocked. Mousestar immediately realized her mistake, shaking her head. "I didn't mean it like that, sweetheart! You're the best thing that has happened to me, I would never think that you're wrong or a mistake." She sighed once more, pausing for a moment, then spoke again. "What I'm trying to say, Eagleheart, is that you should be careful of who you trust. Some of the most trustworthy and respectable cats have dark secrets that could destroy the clans, but they believe they're right. And some cats hold back from doing the right thing, because they're scared that they're wrong. It's easy to get thrown into these situations, especially when you know the cats involved in them."

Eagleheart stared at his mother, his golden eyes fixed with her green. _Way to dodge a question, Mousestar. She's hiding something else, but she's obviously not going to tell. _He tried to warp his disbelieving expression to a thoughtful one. "So what you're saying is that I should be wary of those around me?"

She shook her head. "Not wary, but be _aware _of them. There are adders hidden in plain sight Eagleheart, you have to have the nose to sniff them out. Trust your instincts, and be careful about who you trust." Her voice drifted off strangely as she said the last sentence, the last word as soft as a whisper. The stars lining her pelt began to twinkle out, and the scenery in Eagleheart's vision began to blur.

"No!" He shouted, as he realized what was happening. "Don't leave me again!"

Mousestar's voice became more distant as the dream continued to fade. "I never left you, you were always in my heart, and now I can watch over you at all times." The world was black now, and Eagleheart strained his ears to hear his mother's last words. "Stay strong, my son. The fate of the clans rests in your paws."

* * *

Eagleheart woke from his dream in a bush, it's prickly branches tugging at his pelt. Crawling out, Eagleheart shook the pine needles clinging to his fur, giving his resting place a disdainful look. _And of course, I chose the best place to sleep. _Lifting his head, Eagleheart was shocked to see the sun high in the sky. _Sun high? How long did I sleep?_

Giving his limbs a long stretch, Eagleheart sighed, realizing what he would have to do next. _It's about time that I get back to my clan, but I shouldn't go back empty pawed. _He stealthily stalked through the undergrowth, eventually catching a lizard, two mice, a toad and even an adder. _The sun's beginning to set now. I should get back to camp. _Satisfied with his catch, Eagleheart begrudgingly headed towards his camp, his heart filling with dread.

As he passed the large boulder that marked the entrance, Eagleheart felt his heartbeat quicken as cats stared at him accusingly. Forcing himself not to bristle, Eagleheart headed towards the freshkill pile, hoping no cat would confront him.

His hopes were shattered however, as a familiar, mocking voice sounded behind him. "Eagleheart! Oh, Eagleheart!" Eagleheart continued towards the pile, flattening his ears to his head as he attempted to ignore the voice. His efforts were futile, as the annoying ball of fur bounded straight into his path. "I thought you had died. Or, maybe I hoped. Who knows?"

Eaglheart rolled his eyes, trying to push past. "Leave me alone, Tigerpaw." He muttered, his voice muffled by the prey he carried in his jaws.

Tigerpaw sniffed his catch, feigning interest. "Wow, that's a lot of prey! Though, you were gone all night, you know. It would seem like you'd bring back much more, but here you are, with only five pieces. Kind of pathetic, huh?" Eagleheart remained silent, which Tigerpaw picked on. "Unless… you weren't hunting all night." Cats began to gather around the two, blocking Eagleheart's chances of moving around the tom. "Oh, I think I get it now! You were crying and feeling sorry for yourself all night, like a little kit!"

Eaglheart's eyes narrowed, and his teeth clenched tighter around the prey. "Move. You're in my way."

The yellow tom ignored him, stepping closer. "No, I don't think I will. Actually, I kind of like that you had your outburst last night. It shows Flamestar that he shouldn't give weak cats like you special privileges. Why, you left poor Ashpaw all alone, and he was supposed to start training today!"

_Ashpaw! _Eagleheart's eyes widened as he thought about his apprentice. _Argh, I'm such a mouse brain! I completely forgot about him! _He groaned inwardly as he realized how his negligence made him look. _And Tigerpaw is just soaking it up. I'll show him! _"I'll train him later. Just move out of my way, you're frustrating me."

"I'm frustrating you?" Tigerpaw laughed, his teeth glinting from the glowing sun. "What are you going to do, cry and run away like before? You're pathetic."

Eagleheart bit into the prey harder, blood seeping from the area as he desperately tried to hold his tongue. He glanced at the cats around them, many staring at him, as if waiting for his response. "Go away, Tigerpaw."

Tigerpaw sneered at him, snatching the adder from his jaws and making him drop the rest of his catch. As Eagleheart bent down to grab it, Tigerpaw bit into his scruff, making him yelp. Eagleheart tried his hardest to scrabble away from his attacker's jaws, but Tigerpaw clamped down hard, his teeth beginning to pierce his skin. Giving his victim a rough shake, Tigerpaw spat Eagleheart;'s scruff from his mouth, a clump of fur in his jaws. The yellow tom smirked, his teeth slightly stained red. "Go ahead and cry now, Eagle_kit_."

Feeling his blood boil, Eaglheart unsheathed his claws and leaped at the apprentice, his teeth bared in a fierce growl. Pinning the tom down, Eaglheart glared, his tail lashing. "Don't you ever put your paws on me again!" He lifted his paw high in the air, preparing to strike down. "Don't you ever-"

"Eagleheart? What's going on?"

Eagleheart froze as he recognized the owner of the voice. _Flamestar! _He met his leader's confused amber eyes, his heart filling with fear. He opened his mouth to speak, but Tigerpaw interrupted him. "He attacked me! This savage attacked me and threatened to kill me!"

"Wha-? No I didn't! He's lying!"

"Yes he did!"

"I didn't! You can ask everyone else!" Eaglheart gestured to the crowd, his eyes wide. "Didn't he attack me first?" Eaglheart's heart sank as no cat spoke up, their eyes staring coldly at him. His pelt began to prickle as he realized what was happening. _Why wont they stand up for me? They saw everything!_

Tigerpaw smirked, his head held high. "See, Flamestar? He's a brute! He can't be trusted! Not to add, he's the son of traitors! How can we trust a cat that attacks his own clanmates? How can we-"

"You stop lying!" A shrill voice shrieked. Eagleheart whipped his head around to see Quailkit, her body trembling in anger as she charged into camp, Heaherflight in tow. "I heard and saw everything! You were taunting him and you grabbed him by the scruff, you started it!"

Tigerpaw glared at her, his muzzle twitching as he fought back a snarl. "Butt out of it, kit. You didn't see anything."

"I saw everything!" She stalked closer, her tail held high in the air. "And I'm not a kit! I'm an apprentice!"

He scoffed, lifting his chin. "Barely. This is what I mean. Flamestar is giving these weaklings so many privileges, and for what?" He gazed at the crowd of cats, his pupils narrowed to slits. "Because he pitties them, that's why!" Tigerpaw rounded on his leader, his hackles raised. "What we have is a weak leader. He only cares for the meek and helpless, he doesn't value strong cats like us! I say we rise up and drive all of them out! We can truly make ShadowClan great again!"

Flamestar regarded the apprentice in front of him, his expression calm and serious. After a few heartbeats of silence, he finally began to speak. "You know, Tigerpaw, I was actually starting to believe you." The fiery colored tom stepped closer to the apprentice, his face only inches from his. "That is, until I saw this." Flamestar swept his tail around to caress the tom's face, pulling off a few strands of brown fur from his muzzle. Tigerpaw's face dropped as he saw the hairs that obviously didn't belong to him. "If you're going to lie, at least hide the evidence first." Flamestar glared at the tom, his tail lashing. "You talk of traitors, you say that we cannot trust a cat that attacks his own clanmates, yet you commit the very acts of treason that you're trying to denounce, let alone in front of the entire clan? Not only is that hypocritical, its idiotic." Flamestar didn't get to see Tigerpaw's stunned expression, as he whipped around to address the crowd. "And you, not standing up for your own clan mate to defend a foolish apprentice? Why, you're no better than him! Honestly, I'm ashamed of all of you. Go do something useful."

Eaglheart relaxed, letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. As cats began to disperse around him, he realized that Flamestar was staring at him. Meeting his leader's gaze, Eagleheart followed him to his den, sitting down beneath the shady roots that made the ceiling. After a few heartbeats of tense silence, Flamestar finally spoke. "Eagleeart, am I putting too much pressure on you?

He was taken aback from the question, blinking a few times in shock. "No, Flamestar. What makes you think so?"

"Well for one, you didn't take Ashpaw out for training today." Eagleheart's heart dropped to his paws. "I understand that you're going through a lot, but you still have duties, Eagleheart. That's why I wanted to know if I'm stressing you out in any way."

Gulping, Eagleheart shook his head. "No, Flamestar. I was just upset, that's all. I promise it won't happen again."

Flamestar blinked, his tail wrapping around his paws. "I'm truely sorry about Mousewhisker, Eagleheart. But I had to have the best interests of the clan in mind and…" He sighed. "Tough times are coming to the clan, and I need my warriors to be as strong as they possibly can, both physically and mentally. Are you _sure _that having an apprentice isn't too much for you? I won't look at you any differently, and I'll make something up so the clan does not look down on you."

_As if they can look down on me anymore than they do now. _Eagleheart shook his head again, trying to sound confident. "I'm sure, Flamestar. I can handle an apprentice, I promise I wont dissapoint you."

The flame colored tom hummed, his whiskers twitching. "I believe that you can. If there's any way that I can alleviate your troubles, just know that you can speak with me."

Eagleheart gave his leader a soft smile. "I appreciate the gesture, Flamestar, but I'm a ShadowClan cat, no challenge is too tough for me to handle.."

Flamestar stood, nodding. "That's the spirit. But my offer still stands, just know that I'm here. You're dismissed." Eagleheart stood to leave, but stopped once Flamestar called out to him again. "One more thing. I would like for you to come to the Gathering tonight, if you're up for it that is."

_The Gathering! I almost forgot! _He nodded. "I would like to go. Thank you, Flamestar." Stepping out of the den, Eagleheart lifted his head to observe the setting sun. He sighed, grabbing a small frog to eat by himself. Shuffling to a secluded corner of camp, Eagleheart ate alone, observing the cats around him. _They didn't even stand up for me. _He felt the familiar bitterness grow in his belly, but forced it down, letting out a deep exhale. _I'll show them. I'll show them how great I can be._

Eagleheart sat alone until the sun had set and the moon began to crawl its way across the dark sky. He hoped that Quailpaw would come to speak with him, but the silver she-cat was nowhere to be found. Seeing Flamestar emerge from his den with Vulturefeather, Eagleheart rose to his paws, scooting closer to the High Branch.

"Let all cats old enough to stalk the shadows gather beneath the High Branch for a clan meeting!" As the cats gathered beneath the branch, Flamestar continued, gripping the branch he sat on. "As I'm sure you all know, the Gathering is tonight. Shrewpounce, Nettleclaw, Valleyskip, Oatblossom, Heatherflight, Ebonythroat, Evengreenstride and Eagleheart will be attending. We will be leaving shortly, so make sure you've eaten." He leapt from the branch and the cats beneath him began to disperse.

Eagleheart remained where he was, his thoughts elsewhere. Glancing upwards, he spotted Quailpaw sliding into camp, her pelt standing on end. Curious, Eagleheart approached her, his whiskers twitching. "Hello."

The silver she-cat jumped, as if she didn't see him approach. "Oh, it's just you. Hi Eagleheart."

"What were you doing out of camp? Heatherflight wasn't with you."

Quailkit stared at him for a few heartbeats, her green eyes darkening. "I thought I heard something outside."

Eagleheart's whiskers twitched as he noticed her hesitation. _She's lying. _"Why didn't you get a warrior to check it for you?"

"I didn't think it was that serious."

Opening his mouth to press further, Eagleheart paused as Ashpaw slid into camp, his eyes wide. Blinking in curious confusion, Eagleheart nodded to his apprentice, who nodded back. "Hello, Eagleheart."

"Hello, Ashpaw. Were you two together?"

Ashpaw nodded, his tail twitching anxiously behind him. "Um, will we start training tomorrow?"

Eagleheart nodded, noting his apprentice's eagerness to change the subject. "Mhm. But I must ask, why do you two look so-"

"Cats attending the Gathering! We're leaving now." Eagleheart was cut off by Flamestar's mew, who was approaching him. Eagleheart turned back to Quail Paw and Ashpaw, who had scampered past him. A strange but familiar scent lingered in the air, making Eagleheart wrinkle his nose. _That scent… is it…? _He didn't have time to fully process the scent, instead slowly following behind the gathering patrol.

As the ShadowClan cats crossed the tree bridge, Eagleheart took in the sights and scents around him, noting that only WindClan was missing. He noticed that the ShadowClan and ThunderClan cats were sitting far apart from each other, the tension between the two clans evident. Eagleheart's ears flattened and he moved to a secluded part of the island to sit alone. _Last gathering, Dragonflywing revealed Goldenstar and Mousestar's relationship… It was only a moon ago, but it feels like it's been seasons._ He looked through the throng of ThunderClan cats for his brother, to no avail. _That's strange, Buzzardpaw always comes to gatherings. _He lifted his head as he heard a yowl from the Great Oak, Pikestar standing on one of its branches.

"It seems like WindClan is late, and we're wasting moonlight. We'll start the Gathering early tonight." Goldenstar and Flamestar climbed onto their branches, looking down at the RiverClan leader. "I was hoping that I could announce first, but it seems like ShadowClan has more important news." The RiverClan leader was staring intently at Flamestar, who held his gaze. "Flamescar? Where is Mousestar"?"

Flamestar stared for a few heartbeats, his gaze darkening. "It's Flame_star, _now." The ThunderClan and RiverClan cats gasped, and their respective leaders leaned in closer in interest. "Mousestar has passed."

The clearing was silent, no cat knowing what to say. Eagleheatrt looked at his father, who was staring forward blankly. Finally, the ThunderClan leader broke the silence, his voice barely a whisper. "H-How did she…"

Flamestar sighed, looking down at his paws. "It's partially my fault. After the previous gathering, ShadowClan decided that Mousestar was no longer fit to lead the clan. I offered that she resigned from her position and became an elder, but of course she refused, instead deciding to leave the clan. We hadn't seen her since… until last night. A patrol found her body in our territory, her throat slit and her body ran over." He lifted his head, his gaze sorrowful. "I could have done more to make her stay. She didn't have to die, not like that."

Goldenstar blinked, his bright golden eyes wide and wild. "But what killed her? Was it a fox? A badger?"

"Rogues. We believe that rogues killed her."

"But she-"

"I don't think you're in the position to be asking all of these questions, Goldenstar!" Cinderpaws was standing, his eyes narrowed at the massive tom. "Lets not forget, you've had a part in this too!"

Flamestar glanced at the medicine cat, sighing. "Now now, Cinderpaws. He's concerned about a fellow leader, that's not a crime." He lifted his head to address the cats gathered. "What's done is done, we cannot change the past. We will not let Mousewhisker's death be in vain, however, she will be avenged." Clearing his throat, the flame colored tom continued. "ShadowClan has been rebuilding since the heavy storms. After speaking with Cinderpaws, I believe that the storms were symbolic, a sign from StarClan. Great challenges are coming towards the clans, and ShadowClan intends to be ready. Thus, three cats have advanced through the ranks. Eaglepaw is now Eagleheart, Quailkit is now Quailpaw, and Ashkit is now Ashpaw."

"Eagleheart, Quailpaw, Ashpaw!" Eagleheart listened as the cats cheered his name, his father's voice the loudest of him all. Locking eyes with the tom, Eagleheart nodded, which Goldenstar returned. _He's sad about Mousestar as well… but we have to go on. Life goes on._

Pikestar stood as Flamestar sat down, the gray tom nodding to the orange. "RiverClan sends its condolences to ShadowClan. Mousewhisker died way too soon, and the clans will honor her name forever." The normally obnoxious tom displayed a somber demeanor, much to Eagleheart's surprise. "Unfortunately, RiverClan has suffered a death as well. Lizardshadow was attacked and killed while on patrol, and Spottedpaw and Snakepaw were injured as well." Eagleheart blinked as he heard Spottedpaw's name, his whiskers twitching. _That's the apprentice Buzzardpaw tried to kill._ "The two apprentices fought bravely however, and have earned their warrior names: Spottedclaw and Snakeshadow. Reedpaw has also earned her medicine cat name, now Reedshine."

Goldestar stood as the cheers died down. "ThunderClan sends their condolences to ShadowClan as well. All of the clans have lost an extraordinary cat, and I hope she sends guidance from StarClan." He paused, clearing his throat. "ThunderClan has had its encounter with the rogues as well, and we lost our warrior Bluebubble, who was walking through the territory alone. We are now enacting a new rule: No cat is allowed out of camp without having another cat accompany them. I would recommend that ShadowClan and WindClan take this tactic into consideration as well, to-"

The ThunderClan leader was cut off by a clamoring going on near the tree bridge. A RiverClan tom was shouting, his voice ringing through the island. "WindClan has arrived, and they are hurt!"

Sure enough, the WindClan patrol emerged onto the island looking badly beaten. Standing to his paws in alarm, Eagleheart watched as a few ThunderClan cats rushed towards the oncoming patrol, their panicked voices too far away to hear. The smell of fresh blood filled the island as the WindClan patrol settled. Furzestar limped towards the great tree, sitting on the roots to catch her breath. _One, two three, four… that's much too small for a Gathering patrol!_ The other clans remained in a stunned silence, until Goldenstar broke it.

"Furzestar, what in StarClan's name has happened to your clan?"

Furzestar turned her head to stare at him, her eyes glazed over. "Rogues. Heaps of them. They outnumbered us… A majority of the clan is in camp, badly injured."

The cats collectively gasped, shock in their eyes as the WindClan leader spoke. Eagleheart's heart raced as he stared at a WindClan warrior next to him, a deep gash on his forelimb and flank. _If these are the strongest warriors they have right now, how bad are the other's injuries?_

"When did this happen?" Flamestar asked, leaping down from his branch to sniff at the injured she-cat.

"Right before sunfall. We've only just now managed to drive them back, that's why we were late. They-" She began to cough loudly, blood spewing from her throat. The WIndClan leader fell to the ground, a deep gash on the back of her skull red and gushing. The medicine cats of the clans rushed to help her and the gathered cats fell into a deep silence, holding their breath as they watched the scene. Eagleheart closed his eyes, praying. _Please StarClan.. let Furzestar be okay._

After what seemed like an eternity, Cinderpaw spoke up, stepping away from the leader. "She lost a life."

The cats gasped, the four WindClan warriors gathered around her, wailing in sorrow. Eagleheart looked on, his eyes wide in shock. _A clan leader has never lost a life at a Gathering before! This has gone too far! _He watched as the WindClan leader weakly stood, the back of her head white with cobwebs. She blinked at the cats blankly, her yellow eyes dull and glassy.

Goldenstar stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury. "This has gone on for too long!" His deep voice echoed throughout the clearing, sending chills up Eagleheart's spine. "These rogues have taunted us, killed our clanmates, and attacked a clan mercilessly. They must be dealt with! But it's obvious that one clan cannot handle this alone. No, we need to unite and come together to take them down once and for all!"

The gathered class began to murmur their approval, some standing to their paws and yowling. Flamestar stepped next to the brown tom, his eyes flashing. "I agree. The clans need to come together, we cannot handle this by ourselves."

Pikestar spoke up now, still seated next to Furzestar. "But what if we're barking up the wrong tree? These rogues are ruthless, they show no mercy! Launching an attack on them will only lead to more unnecessary death, don't you think?"

"So what do you suggest we do, lay down and let them pick us off like prey?" Flamestar huffed. "There's more than just lives at stake here, Pikestar, the very future of the clans themselves are at risk here! It is our duty to protect our way of living and the warrior code. We cannot let these moralless fox hearts disrupt our very way of life, that's blasphemy!"

The RiverClan leader still looked reluctant, his ears flattened to his head. "Are lives not valuable to you, Flamestar? Maybe this change is needed, maybe StarClan is intending for this to happen."

Flamestar rounded on the tom, his teeth bared. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? Do you really believe that StarClan wants us to be torn apart? That StarClan wants them to kill us all?" The flame colored tom unsheathed his claws, glaring venomously at Pikestar. "You're no better than the rogues! You're a coward!" He turned to the RiverClan warriors that either glared at him or their leader. "Do you really listen to such a spineless cat? He's suggesting that we surrender to rogues, _ROGUES!"_

Pikestar stepped closer, his own claws unsheathed. Before he could say anything, Goldenstar stepped between the two toms, his face calm. "We have to do this together, we cannot let these rogues drive a further divide between us." Turning to Pikestar, he sighed. "I was not suggesting that we attack the rogues immediately. We have a lot of planning to do, attacking them mindlessly won't get us anywhere."

Pikestar huffed, shaking his pelt. "I'm assuming that you'll be in charge of that then?"

Goldenstar shook his head. "We're all leaders, we'll come up with ideas together. No clan will be 'in charge' of the other."

"I'm glad. If this loud mouth in charge, we'd all die before we even reached their territory."

Flamestar glared at the tom, but didnt say anything. Eagleheart watched his father who quietly talked amongst the leaders, his voice too low to hear. Blinking at the massive tom, Eagleheart hummed in admiration. _Goldenstar is very good at charming, he can change a cat's mind very easily. _

He was broken from his thoughts as Furzestar spoke, her voice raspy and low. "I agree with Goldenstar." The she-cat mewed, sounding and looking much older than she did before. "We should all come together to drive away the rogues. My clan could use a bit of help, so I request that you three provide some."

Speckledlight and Cedarsplash stepped forward, nodding to the WindClan leader. "We gladly offer our services to Juniperclaw, we're sure he's overwhelmed."

Pikestar hummed, sitting down. "I'm still a bit unconvinced about the joining together thing, but RiverClan will help WindClan with whatever else they need."

Cinderpaws snorted. "Don't expect any help from me. ShadowClan has its own business to attend to."

Eagleheart blinked in shock. _What _business_? He could at least offer Gorsepaw to help! _He glanced at Flamestar, who only sighed at the medicine cat. "ShadowClan will also be willing to help in any way they can."

Goldenstar nodded, speaking louder so all the cats could hear him. "It's settled then. From now on, the clans will be working together to fight back against this plight. These rogues want to destroy us, to destroy our code and way of living, but with our combined efforts, we'll drive them away with their tails tucked between their legs! Trying times are coming to the clans, and we need to rely on each other more than ever. Previous rivalries and quarrels need to be settled soon, to ensure that we've all got the same mindset. For now, we have one objective: Defend the Warrior Code!"

Cats began to cheer, and the leaders began to head towards the tree bridge, WindClan exiting first. Eagleheart watched as RiverClan and ShadowClan warriors exchanged hostile glares, their pelts slightly on end. Sighing deeply, the tom prayed quietly, hoping some cat would hear his plea. _Please StarClan, please don't let these rogues tear us apart._

* * *

**Author's note:  
**

**I havent posted in a week, sorry! To make up for it, heres an extra long chapter (5,606 words!) to enjoy. Mousestar has made it to StarClan, Tigerpaw is being a buttface, Eagle is slacking on duties, Quailpaw is being shady, the clans are coming together to drive out the rogues... the pace is really picking up here! Ill try to have the next chapter posted soon, hopefully by the end of the week. Sorry again for not posting!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	27. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Buzzardpaw rose from his nest, stretching his limbs as pale dawn light streamed through the den's entrance. Shaking the clumps of moss from his pelt, the brown apprentice padded out of the den, immediately greeted by Palecloud.

"Good morning, Buzzardpaw." The cream colored tom mewed. "I'm glad that you're awake. Russetprowl requested that you join the dawn patrol today. You'll be leaving shortly, just make sure you take your medicine first."

Nodding, Buzzardpaw sauntered towards the empty medicine den. Speckledlight had left to help WindClan right after the patrol returned from the gathering, leaving behind only a few common herbs. Buzzardpaw remembered how the patrol entered the camp, their eyes flashing fervently and their tails high in the air. _It's hard to believe that the rogues attacked an _entire _clan, let alone actually did some damage. That just gives me more of a reason to visit the barn, I need answers. _Plucking his daily concoction from the back of Speckledlight's storage, Buzzardpaw quickly gulped down the bitter herbs, then dashed out of the den. Outside he spotted Jackdawtalon, Dingomuzzle, Aloefang and Foxgrowl waiting near the entrance. Rushing towards them, Buzzardpaw fell in line behind the warriors as they walked out of camp.

The vibrant forest was abundant with wildlife, a gentle breeze carrying sweet birdsong through the trees. Buzzardpaw took in a deep breath, his nose filling with the smell of prey and shrubbery.

Aloefang had stopped next to him, taking in the scenery as well. "Greenleaf is just around the corner. Trying times are coming towards the clans, so we need to cherish little moments like these."

Jackdawtalon nodded to the she-cat, her tail-tip curling. "Maybe it's a sign from StarClan. They dont want us to give up hope."

"Yes, and they dont want us to drop our guard either." Dingomuzzle growled, continuing to walk forward. "Let's hurry and finish this patrol."

The patrol slowly made their way around the territory, remarking faded borders and keeping their ears pricked for suspicious activity. As they began to return to camp, Aloefang let out a sudden growl in frustration.

"I just don't get it! We've searched the territory high and low and havent found a single trace of rogue scent. How could they have gotten Bluebubble without leaving a scent?"

Buzzardpaw hummed, realizing how suspicious that was as well. Jackdawtalon's whiskers twitched at the she-cat's outburst. "Well…" She started, " There is one place we haven't checked."

"Where?"

"The Great Crack."

Buzzardpaw gasped at the warrior, his eyes wide. _The Great Crack? Why would the rogues be around there? _Dingomuzzle seemed to be asking the same thing, his eyebrows furrowed. "That's mouse brained. I'm sure the rogues are smart enough to stay away from The Great Crack."

The black she-cat stared back at the tom, her eyes bright with confidence. "They're still rogues. I'm sure they'll do anything and hide anywhere if it meant they could cause trouble."

"Do you really think the rogues would hide around The Great Crack?" Buzzardpaw questioned.

Jackdawtalon opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Dingomuzzle. "No, they wouldn't. We aren't searching near The Great Crack."

"But-"

"No! Our clan has already lost two cats to that wretched crevice and I will _not _be responsible for leading a patrol to their deaths." Buzzardpaw's ears perked at the tom's words. _Two? Who else fell?_

The two warriors were standing nose to nose now, their hackles raised as they glared at each other. Jackdawtalon bared her teeth, her eyes flashing angrily. "This patrol was ordered to search _every _part of the territory, not just areas that you want, Dingomuzzle. I'm not suggesting that we stick our noses right into it, I just think we should at least check the area."

"And what you _think_ we should do is wrong."

"Our clanmate _died_, Dingomuzzle. Don't you care about that? Why are you so-"

"You will not accuse me of not caring!" Dingomuzzle's loud yowl startled Buzzardpaw, making him flinch back. "I am the leader of this patrol, not you. We're going back to camp and that's final."

The she-cat's mouth opened and closed a few times in shock. Unable to speak, Jackdawtalon finally stormed off, leaving the rest of the patrol behind. Buzzardpaw followed the warriors to camp silently, his ears flattened to his head. _Dingomuzzle was really upset, but why? Jackdawtalon only _suggested _that we search around, she didnt demand it! _He looked at the ruddy colored tom in front of him, who was speaking quietly with Foxgrowl. Buzzardpaw eyes Foxgrowl suspiciously, his whiskers twitching. _Foxgrowl was strangely quiet throughout the whole patrol, and now he's whispering? What could they be talking about? _Before he could find out, the patrol pushed through the camp's entrance, immediately greeted with the scent of fresh prey. A few warriors were dropping catches onto the freshkill pile, making Buzzardpaw's belly rumble.

Before he could reach the pile, Buzzardpaw was intercepted by his mentor. Russetprowl motioned for him to come out of camp, which Buzzardpaw obliged to. The two toms walked through the forest in silence, their pelts brushing slightly. Finally, Russetprowl stopped, his eyes gazing forwards.

Buzzardpaw looked at his mentor in confusion. "Russetprowl, why did we come here? Am I learning something new today?"

Russetprowl continued to stare, his eyes glazing slightly. After a few heartbeats of silence, the red tom spoke. "In a way, I guess you can say that." He went quiet again, turning to face his apprentice. "I'm worried, Buzzardpaw, I really am."

"What are you worried about? The clans can handle the rogues if we work together, I know we can!"

Russetprowl shook his head, his amber eyes darkening. "Naw, these rogues, they truly somethin' else. I… I think I know who they are."

Buzzardpaw stared at his mentor in shock. "What? You know who the rogues are?"

"Well, I have a hunch, that is." Russetprowl sighed, flopping to the ground. "As I'm sure you already know, I wasn't born a clan cat. I was a rogue myself, tryna survive with my brothers. One day, we came across a huge barn filled with cats like us, starvin', lonely, no purpose in life. My brother…" Russetprowl paused, his eyebrows furrowing. "He was always the ambitious type. He figured that we could lead these cats, like a big ole family. When that tom had an idea, he stuck to it, I'll tell ya that. The barn became more organized, cats viewed us like we were a godsend, mainly him. After a while, I don't know what got into him, but he started mistreatin' his cats, callin' them names, refusin' to feed 'em... Those rogues didn't like that and eventually exiled him, me and my other brother left as well because we didn't want him alone. We stumbled in and out of clan territory, chased out by all kinds of patrols, but eventually one clan took us in: ThunderClan. We settled in nicely, your grandpaw Antlerstar welcomed us. But somethin' changed in my brother… he jus' wasn't the same." Russetprowl blinked a few times and sniffed. _Is he crying?! _"He changed. He wasn't the cat I knew before. He became angry with everythin', vowed to destroy every cat that wronged him… He wasn't a good cat. Extremely power hungry. He wanted to take over the clans and attack the barn for revenge." A lone tear fell from the red tom's eye. "I jus' wished I realized in time, I could've guided him in the right direction… He's dead now, an' I still don't know if I'm relieved or sorry." Russetprowl sniffled again, lifting his head slightly. "Even though my brother didn't have no morals, he was definitely charmin'. She-cats flocked 'round him like flies to manure, I'll tell ya that. As a result, he had lots of kits, and I mean a bunch. A few of them live in the clans today."

Buzzardpaw perked in surprise. "There's kin of this cat in the clans today? But who?"

Russetprowl blinked at his apprentice,his whiskers drooping. As Buzzardpaw regarded at the tom, he suddenly realized how old he looked. _This is really stressing him out, I feel bad for him. _"I'm not too worried about the others, but there is one. Dragonflywing. I don't wanna accuse him of nothin', but the boy is so much like his father, an' not in a good way. Sometimes he comes into camp late at night, smellin' like the barn. I'll never forget that scent."

Buzzardpaw blinked in surprise. _Dragonflywing is related to this evil tom? No wonder he's so suspicious! What could he be doing at the barn? _"So you think he's up to something?"

Russetprowl shrugged, sighing loudly. "I don't know what goes through that tom's mind. I'm not sure if my brother told his sons about the barn, but if he did, I wouldn't be surprised if they got the wrong idea."

Buzzardpaw wondered who the other sons could be, but had another question brewing in his mind. "But if your brother hated the cats at the barn so much, who would Dragonflywing work _with _the rogues, instead of against them? I mean, he seems so cordial with the cats there, wouldn't he-" Buzzardpaw's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. _I just told on myself! I'm such a mouse brain!_

The red tom stared at his apprentice silently, his eyes dark and knowing. "So you finally admit it. To be honest with ya, I already knew that you visit the barn. I told you, I'll never forget that scent." Russsetprowl's face became stern. "Those cats are ruthless, Buzzardpaw, you know what they've done to WindClan. You're riskin' your life, an' for what?"

"To save the clans!"

"The time to save the clans will come eventually, an' _everyone_ will come together then, not jus' one cat. We don't need spies, Buzzardpaw, we need you alive."

Buzzardpaw stared at his mentor, his eyebrows furrowing. "I will be alive! There's a cat that I'm really good friends with, he's giving me information that-"

"That we'll find out soon enough. We don't need spies," Russetprowl repeated, his eyes flashing. "We need you alive. You're too young to be throwin' your life away like this Buzzardpaw. Trust me on this one, you do not need to get involved wit' these rogues."

"But Dragonflywing-"

"Dragonflywing is a grown warrior, he makes his own decisions and he'll suffer his own concequences. You're still young, you still have hope!"

Buzzardpaw gasped in surprise. "You think... you think I'll become one of them?"

Russetprowl shook his head and sighed. "No, your heart's too pure for that. I just want you to be safe, Buzzardpaw. You don't need to carry the weight of the clans on your shoulders, we'll all share the weight equally."

"But that's the point! It won't be equal, because the rogues will keep attacking until we're dead! Why should we lie down and let them pick us off, when we can strike now and finish this?" Buzzardpaw was standing now, his pelt beginning to bristle.

"We need a strategy, Buzzardpaw. We can't just rush in there like mouse brains!"

"It doesn't take this long to create a strategy! If no cat will make a move, I will! I'll protect the clans with my life!"

"The leaders only just agreed to work together last night, what are y-"

"But-"

Russetprowl glared at his apprentice, standing to his own paws. "No, Buzzardpaw. You'll stay in camp and do your duties. You'll be made a warrior soon, you don't no distractions."

"But-"

"Ain't no buts! You'll do as I say, cus' I'm your mentor!" The red tom's eyes flashed in anger. "I aint lettin' you put yourself in danger!"

Buzzardpaw let out a loud growl in frustration and raced away from his mentor, ignoring his calls for him to come back. Too angry to focus, Buzzardpaw found himself near the tunnel that led to the barn. He paused, somewhat hesitant. _Am I really being foolish? Should I just wait for the leaders to make a plan? _Buzzardpaw thought about Bluebubble's lifeless body and the horrified expression on his face, filling the apprentice with newfound determination. Shaking his head to clear his doubts, Buzzardpaw raced through the dark tunnel, finally emerging from the ground.

The large barn towered in front of him, its bright red color strikingly bright as the burning sun beamed on it. Buzzardpaw stalked forward, leaping over the fence that divided him from the other cats. He was immediately greeted with a loud hiss, but the owner soon stopped as they realized who it was.

"Buzzardpaw! Hey, guys, Buzzardpaw is here!" Tom mewed. Icy immediately popped her head out of the barn, her eyes wide.

"Buzzardpaw?" As the she-cats eyes fell on him, she dashed forward, flinging herself at him. Buzzardpaw fell to the ground with a loud 'uff'. "Oh, I've missed you!" She pressed her nose to his cheek, which Buzzardpaw batted away.

"It's only been a quarter moon." He mewed, pushing her off of him. "Where's Orion?"

Icy's face immediately fell, but Tom spoke before she could. "Oh, he just went out somewhere with Flurry. They should be back soon." She began to walk towards the barn and beckoned him with her tail. "Come on! Have something to eat."

Buzzardpaw followed behind the she-cat, his whiskers twitching. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until the warm scent of mouse filled his nostrils. Leaping into a haystack, he quickly fished two plump rodents for himself, which he quickly ate. He lifted his head from the remains as a shadow fell over him.

The owner of the shadow belonged to Icy, who looked down at him with a strange look. Buzzardpaw felt his pelt prickle in unease as the she-cat continued to stare at him, her pupils narrowed to slits. After a few heartbeats of silence, Icy opened her mouth to speak. "Buzzardpaw, we have to talk."

"About?"

"Our relationship."

Buzzardpaw's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. _What relationship? _"What do you mean?"

The she-cat's eyes flashed. "We obviously have chemistry, you can't deny that." Icy bore her teeth as she spoke, her white fangs glinting in the sun. "We're made for each other! I'm just waiting for you to finally step up."

"Step up and do what?"

"Ask me to be your mate!"

Buzzardpaw blinked, nervousness itching in his paws. _Where is she getting all of this from? We're just friends! _He let out a nervous laugh, which Icy didn't receive well. The she-cat unsheathed her claws, making Buzzardpaw gulp in apprehension. "I don't think-"

"Hellooooooo!" A voice called. Buzzardpaw felt himself relax as he realized who it was. _Orion! _"We're backkkkkkk!" The mottled tom stepped into the barn, Flurry in tow behind him. Orion noticed Buzzardpaw immediately, his yellow eyes glowing as he dashed over. "Icy! I didn't know you brought me a gift. And he's exactly my type, how'd you know?" Buzzardpaw pressed his nose to Orion's as he got close enough, ignoring the angry look he received from Icy. "Hi Buzzardpaw!"

"Hi Orion." Buzzardpaw smiled at his friend, immediately forgetting the conversation he had just had with Icy. "Where were you?"

"Oh, we were just-"

"None of your business." Flurry cut Orion off, stepping forward to stand beside him. The she-cat's single blue eye glared angrily at Buzzardpaw, which made his eyebrows furrow in confusion. _What did I do? _"We were out, that's all you need to know."

Orion seemed to notice his sister's curt attitude, his whiskers twitching. "Anyways, what brings you here, Buzzy? You haven't visited us in a quarter moon!"

Buzzardpaw perked, suddenly remembering why he had come. _How could I forget? I came here to ask questions! _"I'm here-"

"Orion? Is that you?" Buzzardpaw jumped as he heard Snowball's voice come from behind him, as he hadn't realized the tom was there the entire time. _I hope he didn't hear my conversation with Icy, that's embarrassing! _The snow white tom padded forwards, rubbing his head against Orion's.

Orion returned the gesture, purring. "Hello, gorgeous! Did you miss me?" Buzzardpaw felt something stir inside of him as he watched the two toms each nuzzle other, something he couldn't completely comprehend. _Am I… am I _jealous_? _Trying his hardest to push away the feeling, Buzzardpaw blinked as Orion turned to face him. "Did you say hi to Buzzardpaw?"

"Oh, hi, Buzzardpaw." Snowball gave him a sheepish smile, stepping closer to Orion.

Buzzardpaw noticed the motion but tried his hardest to ignore it, giving the tom a curt nod. "Hello."

Orion grinned, obviously not noting the tension between the two. "Anyways Buzzardpaw, you were saying?"

Buzzardpaw hummed, suddenly unsure. _Should I really let _all _of them know what the rogues are doing? I really only came to question Orion, what if they don't receive it well? _"Actually, I wanted to speak with you, Orion. Alone."

Orion perked with interest. "Oh? Well I'm sure you know that I'd never protest alone time with you, Buzzardpaw." The tom winked, which Buzzardpaw laughed at. "Lets go ahead-"

"No," Flurry growled. "Whatever he has to say, he can say in front of all of us."

"He just wants to talk, Flurry." Orion mewed, nudging her shoulder. The she-cat winced from the action, and Buzzardpaw noticed a small but gaping wound on her flank. _She's hurt! But from what? _He got a better look at the rest of his friends, realizing that Flurry was the only one wounded. _That's very odd. _"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to hit your shoulder."

"How'd you get that wound?" Buzzardpaw questioned.

"None of your business!" The russet colored she-cat hissed, her teeth baring. Buzzardpaw blinked in shock at the she-cat's hostility. "You come here nearly every sunrise, thrusting yourself into our business like you own the place. Can't you see that you don't belong?" The two were nose to nose now, her single eye glaring into his. "You need to leave."

"Now Flurry, I think you're being unfair-"

"I agree with Flurry!" Icy was speaking now, her glare focused on Orion. "I mean, I do like you around Buzzardpaw, don't get me wrong, but you spend more time with Orion than with me! I'm starting to think you like him more!"

"He does, mouse brain!" Orion joked, sticking his tongue out. Icy hissed at him, but Orion ignored it, his chin lifted. "He has taste, he's only going for the better option!"

"I'll show you a better option!" Icy flung herself at the tom but Flurry jumped in the way, flinging her backwards. Buzzardpaw gasped as Icy struggled to stand, obviously winded. Snowball rushed to her side, his blue eyes wide.

Flurry then rounded on the apprentice, her eye blazing in anger. "See what you've done? You're causing a ruckus!"

"I didn't do that, you-"

"Get. Out. NOW!" The she-cat unsheathed her claws, ready to strike at him. Before she could, Orion yanked his tail, pulling him backwards.

"Come on, Buzzardpaw, let's get out of here." Orion glared at his sister and turned to the entrance of the barn. "This is getting out of hand."

The two toms walked in silence, slipping under the fence and stopping in an open area. Buzzardpaw looked around, the moor that belonged to WindClan within view. He sat down, Orion sitting next to him. The two sat in silence for a bit until Orion let out a loud sigh. "I'm sorry about Flurry."

"Why was she so upset with me? And what happened to her shoulder?"

"She fell out of a tree and cut herself on a branch. I told her it wasn't a good idea, but alas, I'm just her 'little brother'. As for why she was upset, I dunno. Maybe she's just trying to protect me." _What is that supposed to mean? _Orion continued before he could ask. "Well, you wanted to talk?"

Buzzardpaw looked at the smaller tom, nodding. "I wanted to ask about the other rogues."

"Oh?" Orion's yellow eyes flashed in interest. "What about them?"

Buzzardpaw sighed, realizing he didn't know what to say. _How can I word this? _"Last night, WindClan was attacked by the rogues. From what I can tell, the attack was pretty bad and now WindClan is in a critical state. Do you know anything about this?"

Orion stared at Buzzardpaw for a moment, his pale yellow eyes blank. "No, I don't know anything about that. Sorry."

"You haven't seen any hurt cats or anything?"

Orion shook his head. "No, I tend to stay within our part of the barn. I don't ever get to see the other barn cats, they seem… shady."

Buzzardpaw's head dropped in defeat. _So Orion doesn't know anything either. But what did he mean about that last comment? _"Shady how?"

The mottled tom shrugged, his whiskers twitching. "I dunno, it's just the vibe they give. I've noticed some of the mean barn cats going over to the General-Section, I don't know what they're doing over there, but it can't be good."

"How many are there? The mean cats, I mean."

Orion shrugged again, turning his head. "I'm not sure, maybe about a dozen of them."

_That's not very many, definitely not enough to attack and cripple an entire clan. There must be cats from the General-Section helping them! _"And the cats from the general section?"

"Oh, there's so many, I couldn't count if I tried. Definitely more than a dozen,."

Buzzardpaw nodded, feeling like he was getting somewhere. _That confirms it, there's cats from the General-Section helping the mean cats. But wouldn't that mean the General-Section is mean as well? _"How would you describe the cat's in the General-Section's temperament? Are they territorial? Prone to fighting? Organized?"

Orion turned back to Buzzardpaw, a confused look on his face. "Definitely not. They're a sorry bunch; many of the cats over there are just skin and bone. They tend to just stick with their families, I dont think they're organized in any way. There may be a few cats that feel like they have authority over the others, but the Renaissance puts them back in place."

"The Renaissance?"

Orion hesitated for a moment, his eyes darkening. Letting out a reluctant sigh, he finally spoke. "The Renaissance is what the mean cats call themselves. I know that a renaissance is a new start to something, but I'm not sure what exactly they're planning to start anew."

Buzzardpaw looked at the tom, his eyebrow raising. _That's new information! Orion knows more than I thought. _"So the Renaissance _is _organized." Orion nodded. "Do they have a leader?"

"I'm sure they do have one, I just don't know who it could be." Orion paused, thinking. "Actually, there's one cat that I think might be it. His name is Maggot, he's a completely hairless cat with black eyes. Rumors say that he never speaks."

_How could a cat lead a group without speaking? _Buzzardpaw furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. _Then again, they're rogues. They probably have a secret code or something. _He looked up to the sky, realizing that the sun was beginning to set. "Are-"

"Look!" Orion interrupted. "The sun is setting." The small tom threw a coy glance at Buzzardpaw, fluttering his eyes. "This is _so _romantic."

Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes at his friend, shaking his head. _He's so silly. _The sun began to set further, filling the area with a dark orange glow. Buzzardpaw glanced at Orion, who had his eyes closed. The evening light danced upon the mottled tom's glossy pelt, his orange spots shimmering brightly as a soft breeze drifted over him. A pleasant scent wafted from Orion's pelt, making Buzzardpaw's nose tingle. Buzzardpaw continued to stare at the tom, almost in a trance. _Orion's very… nice to be around. I'll always enjoy moments like these._

Orion suddenly opened his eyes, blinking at the apprentice. A small smirk formed on his face. "Like what you see? You're staring very hard."

Buzzardpaw shook his head in embarrassment. "Sorry! I didn't mean to stare."

Orion giggled, batting the brown tom's nose with his paw. "Awe, you're flustered! You're so cute."

Buzzardpaw looked down at his paws, trying to hide the warmth that flushed to his cheeks. The two toms continued to watch the sunset together, the orange light getting darker and darker as the moon peeked over the horizon. As the sky turned black, Buzzardpaw attempted to rise to his paws, but stopped once he realized that Orion was leaning on his shoulder. The smaller tom was fast asleep, his tail draped over himself. Not wanting to wake him, Buzzardpaw sighed, settling back down. He too began to close his eyes, but opened them as he heard a noise from behind him. _What was that? _Whipping his head around, Buzzardpaw saw nothing, but couldn't shake away the sinking feeling of being watched. Rattled, he hoisted Orion onto his shoulders, heading back to the barn.

Slipping under the fence, Buzzardpaw placed Orion onto a haystack, relieved to see that the tom was still asleep. The barn was completely empty but he shrugged it off, casting a final glance at his friend. Crawling back under the fence, Buzzardpaw prepared to head to the tunnel that connected to his territory, but stopped as a sharp scent hit his nostrils. _Is that - blood? _The scent was coming from the General-Section, getting stronger as he slunk closer. Once he was close enough to see what was going on, Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in shock.

Dozens of cats were clustered together, many of them sporting gruesome wounds. Countless scratches and gashes littered their bodies, a majority of them gushing crimson blood. A sturdy looking brown tom passed by the fence Buzzardpaw hid by, a gross yellow pus seeping from his engorged eye. A few bodies lay strewn here and there, some of them barely breathing, others completely lifeless. Flinching back from the unbearable smell, Buzzardpaw's mouth gaped in shock. _These cats were most definitely in a fight! How could Orion not have known about it? The smell is so strong! _Ducking back as anotther cat passed by his hiding place, Buzzardpaw raced into the tunnels, his heart racing.

_This is more serious than I thought!_

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Chapter 25 is here after almost too weeks! I've started a new job recently, so my schedule has made it harder for me to write, but fear not, I'll continue to post! Things just wont be as consistent as they were before, until I get everything under control at least.**

**Tensions are rising in ThunderClan and the barn! Was Orion lying about not knowing about the battle with WindClan, or were the cats hurt from something else? Who is Russetprowl's mysterious brother, are the barn cats carrying out his legacy? How many clan cats are working with the barn cats, and is Dragonflywing truly one of them? Things will start making sense pretty soon, so stay tuned!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	28. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Half a moon had passed since the Gathering. Eagleheart watched Flamestar atop the High Branch, his leader's flame colored pelt blazing as the bright Green Leaf sun shone upon it.

"We'll continue to send warriors until further notice," Flamestar was saying, "as WindClan is still vulnerable to attack. Instead of me holding a meeting every time we shift warriors, I'll have Vulturefeather send them out as he does with other patrols. Meeting dismissed."

As cats began to disperse, Eaglepaw shifted closer to Vulturefeather to hear him better.

"Shrewpounce and Valleyskip, you two will be relieving Pinknose and Ebonythroat. Let them know that they can return to camp." Eagleheart watched the two warriors walk out of camp, their ears pricked and alert.

After the Gathering, the leaders agreed to work together and meet often. As far as Eagleheart knew, the leaders had only met once, but each clan agreed to send warriors to guard WindClan as their warriors recovered from the fight with the rogues. The cats from the other clans would switch their warriors every other sunrise to ensure there was fresh help for the struggling clan. _I haven't been picked yet,_ Eagleheart thought, _but that's alright. That gives me more time to train Ashpaw._

Eagleheart looked around the camp to see his apprentice chatting with Quailpaw near the freshkill pile. After missing their first day of training, Eagleheart made sure to wake up early for his apprentice every sunrise, intent to make Ashpaw the best warrior he could be. Eagleheart was thoroughly enjoying the experience as Ashpaw was a fast learner; he mastered fighting moves quickly, but could still use some help with hunting. _He's so much like his father, courageous, brave, unwavering. I'm glad to have him as my apprentice. Not to mention he distracts me from… other things. He's helped me more than he could ever know._ He trotted towards the two, his eyes bright. "Mind if I join you two?"

Quailpaw and Ashpaw's conversation immediately stopped as they noticed him. Eagleheart blinked in confusion, but shrugged it off as Quailpaw smiled at him. "Not at all." She mewed.

The two began to chat quietly, catching up on eachothers lives. With Eagleheart training Ashpaw and Quailpaw training with Heatherflight, Eagleheart barely had time to spare for apprentice, much to his dismay. _Ah well, it was bound to happen. Quailpaw and I are both busy all the time, so it makes sense that we rarely get to see each other. It was only a few sunrises ago, but it seems like moons since we've actually had a good conversation like this. _

"... I caught this adder earlier today." Quailpaw was saying, patting the serpent next to her. "I was afraid that it would bite me, but I was quick enough to kill it before it could move. Ashpaw said it was a nice catch, but Heatherflight didn't seem impressed." The she-cat suddenly looked downcast, her eyes staring at her paws. "She doesn't seem to like me very much, I'm not sure why."

Eagleheart frowned, sad to see the she-cat looking so upset. He gently lifted her head with his tail, staring into her eyes. "I think it's an impressive catch. You're a wonderful hunter, Quailpaw." The two held eye contact for a few heartbeats, finally broken by Quailpaw sheepishly glancing at the camp's entrance. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Eagleheart turned to see what she was looking at, greeted by Heatherflight angrily storming towards them.

"Quailpaw!" The she-cat shouted, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just chatting with Eag-"

"Didn't I tell you to clean the elder's den once we got back?" Heatherflight mewed sternly, directly in front of her apprentice now. Eagleheart moved out of the way, watching the two intently. "Why are you sitting here doing nothing?"

"Ashpaw and I've already tended to the elders," Quailpaw mewed, not looking her mentor in the eye, "We changed their bedding, removed their ticks, fetched them-"

"But I told _YOU_ to tend to the elders, not Ashpaw. There's only two of them, I'm sure you could've handled it. You're not a kit, you're an apprentice now. Stop being lazy all the time and-"

"I didn't mind him helping." Eagleheart interjected, blinking at the warrior. "I was on patrol, so I'm glad Ashpaw decided to lend a paw. He is her brother and all."

Heatherflight turned her gaze to him, her eyes wide as if she didn't expect him to oppose her. Rolling her eyes, Heatherflight mewed an exasperated, "Whatever. Quailpaw, you're going on the next two patrols that Vulturefeather sends out."

Quailpaw lifted her head, her eyebrows furrowed. "But I've already went on-"

"What did I say?" Heatherflight hissed, her tail lashing. "Don't talk back to me, I'm your mentor. Now go, he's assigning the cats now." Quailpaw hesitated, blinking at the warrior defiantly. "GO!" With a loud sigh, Quialpaw slowly slunk away to the deputy, her tail drooping. Smirking victoriously, Heatherflight turned back to Eagleheart, her eyes flashing playfully. "Serves her right. Sorry for that, I'm sure you dont want to be annoyed by stupid _kits_ all day. Anyways, I wanted-"

"She's not a kit." Eagleheart interrupted, his eyes narrowed. "You need to treat her better, she's not only your apprentice, but also your clanmate. You're her mentor, you're supposed to guide her, not bully her."

Heatherflight stared at him, her eyes wide. "I wasn't bullying her, I was just telling her that she needs to keep up with her duties. _She _was the one being disrespectful."

"Disrespectful?" Eagleheart snorted, glaring at her. "She could barely even look at you! I don't know what you have against Quailpaw, but you need to cut it out or I'll report you to Flamestar."

Heatherflight groaned, rolling her eyes rudely. "Whatever! Lets just drop this." After a few heartbeats of tense silence, she sat closer to him, her pelt brushing his. "Anyways, I wanted to talk to you about-"

Eagleheart cut her off by rising to his paws, moving away so they were no longer touching. "I don't care about what you want to talk about, because I don't want to talk to you." Shaking his pelt, he jerked his head towards his apprentice that was sitting nearby. "Ashpaw, come. We've got training to do." Not turning to see Heatherflight's reaction, Eagleheart stalked out of camp, Ashpaw behind him. As they walked through the dense forest, Eagleheart noticed Ashpaw looking at him with a sly smirk. Confused, he tilted his head. "What's that look for?"

"My sister's pretty cool, huh?"

Grunting, Eagleheart stopped walking. "Yes, she's admirable. Why do you ask?"

Ashpaw began to grin, his whiskers twitching. "You totally like her dude."

Coughing loudly, Eagleheart furrowed his eyebrows. "I do not."

"You do."

"I don't."

"You do! I saw how you defended her from Heatherflight." Ashpaw wiggled his eyebrows at his mentor. "And the way you were staring at her, even a blind cat could see there's a connection!"

Embarrassed, Eagleheart turned away. "Stop that, I was simply defending a clanmate. And I wasn't staring at her, I was just looking. You look at cats when they're speaking, you know."

"Yeah, if "looking" means gawking at somecat without blinking."

Eagleheart's eyes widened, his jaw dropping. "I wasn't gawking!"

Ashpaw laughed, his nose wrinkling. "Whatever you say. You don't have to keep denying it, she likes you too. I swear, she never shuts up about you in the apprentice's den." Unable to hide it, Eagleheart smiled slightly as he heard this news. Ashpaw caught him before he could hide it however, playfully cuffing his mentor over the ears. "Don't worry, I approve of it. Just make sure you name one of your kits after me."

Looking away, Eagleheart sighed inwardly as a lizard scuttled past, unaware of the predators nearby. Swiftly trapping it under his claws, Eagleheart gratefully picked it up. _Thank StarClan for this distraction, the conversation was getting awkward!_ "You see this? It's a sign, a sign for us to move on." Ashpaw chuckled, but willingly followed beyond his mentor as they headed deeper into the forest. As they entered a small clearing, Eagleheart paused as the scent of prey hit his nose. "This looks like a good place for hunting. Tell me, what can you smell?"

Ashpaw lifted his nose to the sky, sniffing audibly. "The lake nearby, the trail of a shrew, but it smells faint… Oh! I can smell a mouse."

Lifting his nose to confirm, Eagleheart nodded as the smell of shrew hit his glands, closing his eyes. He abruptly opened them as another scent caught his attention, musky and thick. Wrinkling his nose in confusion, Eagleheart narrowed his eyes as he realized it was the scent of a cat. _Rogue? _He unsheathed his claws, preparing for a fight. _Once I find them, I'll make sure the last thing they see is my claws gouging out their eyes. _He was broken from his thoughts as Ashpaw burst through the bracken ahead, narrowly missing the mouse that streaked through his legs. With a flash of his paw, Eagleheart caught the rodent as it headed towards him in blind fear, ending its life quickly. Grabbing the prey, Eagleheart looked at his apprentice.

"Sorry." Ashpaw mewed, looking sheepish. "My tail hit a branch and made a noise, I thought it would be best to just go for it."

Shaking his head, Eagleheart sighed. "Always remember your tail, Ashpaw. Let's practice now, show me your Hunter's Crouch." Ashpaw immediately dropped down to his belly, tucking his paws underneath him. Slowly slinking forward, Ashpaw's tail brushed against his mentor. Noting the problem, Eagleheart tapped it, prompting Ashpaw to stand. "It's the tail. Why can't you keep it straight?"

Ashpaw shrugged, trying the move again. His tail flew up once more, slapping Eagleheart in the face. His eyes wide, Ashpaw flopped to the ground. "I don't know what's happening! No matter what I do, my tail won't cooperate." Letting out a loud sigh, the apprentice stared at his paws looking dejected. "I'm sorry, Eagleheart. I'm the worst apprentice in the history of apprentices."

Clicking his tongue, Eagleheart shook his head. "Don't say that, you've only just started your training. Your stalking technique is excellent, you've very graceful for your size. It's just your tail. Does it hurt when you stick it out?" Eagleheart demonstrated what he meant by sticking out his own tail, making sure it was parallel with the ground.

Ashpaw reattempted the couch, keeping his body low. For a few heartbeats the apprentice was doing well, his body in position and his tail held above ground. Thinking he had it together, Eagleheart's smile quickly turned into a frown as Ashpaw's tail suddenly shot into the air. Letting out a loud grunt of frustration, the apprentice clawed at the ground irritably, his chest heaving. "I can't do it! Nothing I'm doing is working! How can I be a warrior if I can't even _hunt_? StarClan, I'm so stupid!"

Pressing his nose to his apprentice's forehead, Eagleheart gave the tom a comforting lick. "You're still learning. No apprentice gets their techniques right the first few times."

"Quailpaw already knows how to hunt, she caught an adder today! There's something wrong with me."

Eagleheart hummed, pulling his head away. "Let's not worry about Quailpaw, let's think about how we can help you out. Maybe you're supposed to use a different technique than everyone else."

Ashpaw curiously lifted his head, shuffling his paws. "Different technique?"

"Yeah!" Furrowing his eyebrows, Eagleheart thought for a few heartbeats. "You tail constantly shoots up, yes? Maybe instead of keeping your tail parallel to the ground, you should kink it onto your back instead?"

"Like this?" Ashpaw stood and lifted his tail, laying it flat onto his back.

"Yes, now try your Hunter's Crouch." The apprentice slid to the ground, wobbly at first, seeing that he no longer had his tail to balance him. After stalking around the clearing a few times however, Ashpaw was quick on his paws, gliding silently across the ground like an owl through the sky. Smiling, Eagleheart cheered his apprentice on. "Excellent! You're doing great."

"I feel like I look silly." Ashpaw mewed, shaking his pelt.

His whiskers twitching, Eagleheart inwardly agreed with the tom, struggling to keep back a chuckle. _I will admit, he does look rather odd stalking around with his tail on his back, but whatever will help his hunting abilities will have to do. _"You're fine. If it means it will help you hunt, it's welcomed."

Ashpaw blinked, his amber eyes dark with uncertainty. "Do you really think this will help?"

"There's only one way to find out." Eagleheart mewed, rising to his paws. "Come, it would be best if we moved to another area."

The two toms walked through the forest, Ashpaw occasionally testing out his new technique here and there. Emerging into another clearing, the toms stopped, their noses lifted to the sky. Looking confident, Ashpaw slid into a crouch, his tail clung tightly to his spine. Slinking forward, the tom disappeared underneath a bush, momentarily emerging with a lizard hanging from his jaws. With a triumphant yowl, Ashpaw threw the lizards into the air, bouncing up and down.

"I caught something, I caught something! My first prey!" The apprentice continued to bounce up and down, his eyes bright.

Eagleheart smiled at the tom, feeling an immense amount of pride. _It's like when I caught my first mouse, albeit it was much sooner, the feeling is still the same. _Pressing his nose to Ashpaw's, Eagleheart closed his eyes. "You did great, I'm so proud of you."

"The technique worked! I'm gonna name it the Ashpaw's Awesome Amazing Hunter's Crouch!"

Chuckling, Eagleheart nodded. "It's catchy, I like it. When you become a warrior, you can teach it to all of your apprentices."

Smiling, Ashpaw nuzzled his mentor. "Thank you, Eagleheart. You're the best mentor ever!"

Hearing those words, Eagleheart felt his heart swell. _I'm so proud of him. He was facing a problem, but overcame it easily. _Grabbing their catches, the two toms began to head back to camp, Ashpaw bounding ahead. Following behind, Eagleheart stopped in his tracks as a smell hit his nose. _It's that scent again._ The scent was much stronger now, earthy and thick. Beneath the smell of soil, the unmistakable scent of cat hid underneath. Tensing, Eagleheart called to his apprentice, who raced back to meet him.

"What is it? Why did you stop?" Ashpaw mewed.

"Can you smell that?"

Ashpaw lifted his nose to the air, a confused look on his face. "It smells like… mud. Why are you so interested in mud?"

Ignoring the question, Eagleheart warily stalked toward the smell, his eyes flickering amongst the surrounding bushes. Eventually stopping at a shallow bog, Eagleheart noticed a thick pool of mud nearby, the middle of it clumped and disturbed. Ashpaw noticed as well, wrinkling his nose. "Yuck! What's been playing in the mud?"

"Not what, _who_." Stalking closer, Eagleheart rummaged through the mud, plucking out a thin gray hair. _Hmph. Seems like Darkendstreak's training was beneficial after all. _Sniffing the hair, Eagleheart narrowed his eyes in confusion. The smell was faint in the back of his mind but familiar, filling the young tom with a mix of confusing emotions. _I know this scent, but who?_

"Eagleheart? Are you alright?"

Ignoring the question, Eagleheart looked around, noticing paw prints emerging from the pool. Following the tracks with his eyes, he realized that the prints were headed towards camp, though scattered around, as if the cat were looking for something. Rising to his paws, he motioned for Ashpaw to follow, dashing towards camp, the prey he had caught forgotten. As he passed the large stone that marked the barrier, Eagleheart skidded to a halt in the middle of camp, his claws unsheathed. Whipping his head around, he slowly began to calm down as he saw the undisturbed camp.

Catching up behind him, Ashpaw spat out his prey to pant, "What was that for?"

Blinking a few times, Eagleheart shook his head, turning to his apprentice. "I thought we were under attack."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because-" Eagleheart was cut off by the sound of hushed voices. Turning his head, he noticed Quailpaw and Cinderpaws talking to each other quietly, their ears pricked and eyes flickering around camp. Straining to hear what they were saying, Eagleheart's ears drooped as he realized that they were too far away to hear properly. Noticing his sister, Ashpaw eagerly picked up his catch and bounded towards her, his eyes bright.

"Quailpaw, look what I've got!"

Quailpaw lifted her head, her eyebrows furrowed as she was disturbed from her conversation. As she realized it was Ashpaw however, her mood lifted, a small smile on her face. "Did you catch that?"

"Yeah! Eagleheart taught me a new move to help me capture prey. Look!" Slapping his tail onto his back, Ashpaw demonstrated his new Hunter's Crouch, his tongue sticking out in concentration.

Quiailpaw began to laugh, swatting at her brother. "You look so silly! Eagleheart taught you that?"

"Do not! It helps me catch the juiciest, fattest prey ever! Anyways…" Eagleheart had stopped listening, his eyes focused on the camp's entrance. His ears pricked, Eagleheart narrowed his eyes as a dark shadow dashed past the large boulder, too quick to decipher what it was. A low growl rumbling in his throat, Eagleheart unsheathed his claws. _The rogue followed us here. They'd be stupid to dash into camp with all of these cats here, they're obviously planning-_

He was interrupted from his thoughts as a familiar scent entered his nostrils, making him groan inwardly. The scent's owner sat down extremely close to him invading his personal space. With a quiet purr, the owner began to speak. "Hello, Eagleheart."

Rolling his eyes, Eagleheart grunted. "Hello, Heatherflight."

"Jee, don't sound so enthusiastic." The she-cat joked, prodding him in the side with her paw. "Why are you sitting here by yourself? You look so lonely."

"I enjoy being alone."

"Well too bad, I'm here now."

Eagleheart rolled his eyes so hard he was convinced they would fly out of his head. "Whoopie for me."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"You haven't even asked me how my day was!" Heatherflight fake pouted, batting her eyes.

"That's because I don't care-"

"My day was pretty good." Heatherflight interrupted, her whiskers twitching. "Well, besides the part where I had to train Quailpaw. She's the most annoying thing ever, the brat can barely hunt! I wish we could swap apprentices Eagleheart, I think mine is broken. Today I told her to climb a tree and then hop down, and she had the nerve to ask me "Why?" and said "We're ShadowClan, not ThunderClan." Because I'm your mentor and I said so, that's why, like duh! She finally did it but I have to say, her form was terrible. She was as clumsy as a badger and almost fell down! I wouldn't have caught her though, because..."

Eagleheart halfheartedly listened to the she-cat ramble on and on, his tail lashing in irritation. _She doesnt stop to breathe, she just talks and talks and talks… StarClan, please make her shut up, drop a tree on her, make a rock fall on her head, _anything _to stop her pointless blabbering! _As if StarClan heard his plea, a loud yowl sounded outside of camp, making Heatherflight stop mid sentence. Jumping to his paws, Eagleheart unsheathed his claws, all of his attention on the camp's entrance.

A few heartbeats later, Oatblossom, Chivepelt, Tigerpaw and Swiftpaw padded into camp, their pelts ruffled but unharmed. They walked in a circular formation, as if guarding something. As they reached the middle of camp, they broke the circle, revealing a dark gray figure. Chivepelt roughly pushed the figure forward, his eyes narrowed. "We found him hiding outside of our camp."

Eagleheart examined the figure, his pelt bristled. A ragged, unkempt dark gray tom stood in the middle of camp, his legs wobbly and weak. His heavily scarred pelt was dirty and covered in mud, the thick brown gunk caking around his paws and face. Lifting his head, the tom's amber optics glowing as he surveyed the clan. The tom's eyes fell on Eagleheart for a heartbeat, sending a chill up his spine. _It can't be…_

Cats began to gather around, forming a tight circle around the mysterious tom. The camp remained in a tense silence, finally broken by tom tom's deep, raspy voice. "Where are they…?" The intruder's jaw moved awkwardly as he spoke, the long scar on his jaw impairing his speech.

The camp immediately erupted into loud yowling, the ShadowClan cats hissing and spitting at the newcomer.

"How dare you come back?"

"Filthy traitor!"

"Leave! You aren't welcome here!"

"Alright alright, what's all this fuss?" Flamestar shouted angrily, pushing through the crowd. "What's gotten into you all?" The tom slowly let his gaze travel over the crowd, finally turning to see what they were looking at. As his eyes fell onto the tom, Flamestar's eyes widened. "Is that...?"

"It is." Vulturefeather mewed, standing next to his leader.

Standing in stunned silence, Flamestar's gaping mouth slowly turned into a smirk, which then turned into laughter. "Well, well, I never thought I'd see you again, old friend."

"Cut the theatrics." The tom growled, his eyes darkening.

Flamestar stepped closer, his tail tip twitching. "Can you blame me? I never thought I'd see you again, not like this. You've let yourself go, Viperhiss."

As his leader named the newcomer, Eagleheart's chest tightened. _I knew it. Those tracks at the mud pool earlier, they were his. _Staring at his former mentor, Eagleheart felt a mix of emotions; confusion, hope, sadness… and bittersweet betrayal.

"It's no concern to you, Flamescar." Viperhiss lifted his head, his nose twitching. "Where's Mousestar? I need to speak with her."

Silent for a few heartbeats, Flamestar growled. "Mouse_whisker_ is dead." Pushing through the crowd, he ran across camp to leap onto High Branch, glaring down at Viperhiss. "And it's Flamestar now."

Stunned, Viperhiss blinked rapidly. "Dead? How?"

"She was killed by rogues." Vulturefeather mewed, his eyes cold. "I'd think that you'd know a bit about them, seeing how beaten up you look."

Viperhiss ignored the tom's last comment, turning his attention back to Flamestar. "If that's the case, I'd like to speak with you, Flamestar. Alone."

Flamestar scoffed, his lip curling. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it infront of the clan, the clan you betrayed. I do hope you're not planning on rejoining, ShadowClan does not accept traitors."

"Joining is not what I seek."

"Then what is it?" Chivepelt growled, stepping closer.

Hesitating, Viperhiss looked at his paws, then through the crowd. Letting out a deep sigh, the tom lifted his head to address Flamestar. "My kits. I want my kits."

"What for?" Flamestar mewed, his eyebrow raised.

"They need to be with their father," Viperhiss growled, his eyes narrowing. "Not with feeble minded sheep that can't even protect their own leader."

"Who are you calling feeble minded?"

"I'll wipe that smirk off of your face right now!"

Flamestar lifted his tail to calm his cats down, his eyes still locked with Viperhiss'. "Mousewhisker was exiled, she was cast away because she was a traitor just like you. You'll receive the same treatment. Vulturefeather, prepare to escort-"

"I'm not leaving without my kits!" Viperhiss yowled, his claws unsheathed.

Eagleheart tensed, his eyes wide. _He's not taking Quailpaw, Ashpaw neither! I won't let him! _

"You aren't taking the apprentices." Flamestar mewed, obviously struggling to keep calm.

"Apprentices? They're barely six moons!" Viperhiss glared at Flamestar, his teeth bared. "When did they become apprentices?"

"It's none of your concern. Ashpaw and Quailpaw belong to ShadowClan, not their traitorous father."

"You're mistreating them, you've forced them to become apprentices early!" Viperhiss whipped his head around, his eyes wild and angry. "Where are they? Ashpaw, Quailpaw! Come out now!"

Flamestar hissed, his tail lashing. "I'm not mistreating them, I'm preparing them for what's to come! Ashpaw and Quailpaw are training happily with Eagleheart and Heatherflight, they're much better off here than with their delusional father. Leave my camp."

"Eagle...heart?" Viperhiss slowly turned around, his eyes locking with Eagleheart's. The two stared at each other, their eyes intense. "He's not supposed to be a warrior yet, he's got another two moons. You're making apprentices warriors early as well? You're a horrible leader, you mistreat your cats! I'm taking him with me too."

Eagleheart's eyes widened in shock. _What?! _He looked at his former mentor, who gave him a small nod. _Why would he want me too? Why would he-_

Eagleheart was interrupted from his thoughts by a loud laugh by Flamestar. "You want him to come with you too? Great StarClan, did you bang your head into a tree before you got here? You're not taking my warrior, and you're not taking my apprentices. Leave now, this is your final warning."

"Dont answer for him." Viperhiss growled. He then turned to Eagleheart, his eyes softening. "You. We had a connection, one these cats would never understand. You hold a power in your paws that has been never before seen. I will help you harness it and use it properly. You want to come with me, right?"

Eagleheart stared forward, blinking rapidly in shock. _We had a connection? Where's he getting this from?_ Sure, Eagleheart respected his old mentor and truly hoped that he was still alive, but he wouldn't say the two had anything other than a typical mentor and apprentice bond. _Unless he means the Dark Forest…_ Shaking his head, Eagleheart looked at his paws. "I do not, Viperhiss. I'm not going with you, and you are not taking Ashpaw nor Quailpaw."

Viperhiss' mouth opened in shock. Flamestar chuckled, his whiskers twitching. "See, Viperhiss? No one wants to leave with you. Besides, you're just a loner. What do you have to offer that the clans cannot?"

Viperhiss blinked, his tail lashing in anger. "Security. The life of a loner may be uneventful, but it's better than being surrounded by traitors. There's bad cats out there, and I have knowledge-"

"It was a rhetorical question, I don't really care." Flamestar mewed boredly. "Judging from the looks of you, you can't even protect yourself." Rising to his paws, Flamestar stretched. "You've had enough warnings, I've been more than generous by repeating myself _at all_. If you aren't out of camp in 10 heartbeats, I'll-"

"I'm not leaving without my kits."

"Then you aren't leaving alive." Flamestar snarled, his claws digging into the branch he sat on. "Unless you're willing to fight for them, I suggest you leave, _now_."

"Very well then. I'll do whatever it takes to have my kits." Viperhiss unsheathed his claws, getting into a crouch.

Letting out a small chuckle, Flamestar smirked. "Oh Viperhiss, are you sure you want to do this? You're greatly outnumbered, this is _not _a fight that you'll win."

"Try me."

Flamestar's body tensed, preparing to leap from the branch. "So be it. Prepare to die, friend." With an angry yowl, Flamestar leapt from the High Branch, landing squarely onto Viperhiss' shoulders. The tom fell to the ground from the weight, bucking his back and sending the leader flying off of him. The surrounding cats rushed forward, all ready to fight the trespassing tom. Just before Chivepelt and Tigerpaw reached them, the two toms halted by the sound of a voice.

"Stop!" The tiny voice mewed, ceasing all activity. The crowd turned around to see Ashpaw standing with Cinderpaws and Quailpaw, all three of them panting as if they had been running. "I'll go with you."

The crowd gasped in unison, all attention on the young tom. Eagleheart's heart dropped as he watched his apprentice walk up to his father, his eyes bright. Viperhiss pressed his nose to his son's head, a small smile on his face.

"What?" Flamestar growled, stalking forward. "Ashpaw, do you know what you're doing right now?"

Ashpaw nodded, his tail high in the air. "I have to go with him, he's my kin!"

"But Cinderpaws is also your kin, and your sister!"

"Yeah, but they aren't my father. And besides, Quailpaw is coming too! Right, Quailpaw?"

Everycat turned their attention to the small silver she-cat who had her head down. His heart racing, Eagleheart felt his chest tighten as Quailpaw remained silent. _No, she cant go! She cant leave me!_

"I-"

"Ashpaw, wait." Eagleheart interrupted Quailpaw, his eyes wide. "What about our training? What about the new move I showed you? Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Ashpaw looked at his mentor, a sad smile on his face. "I'm sorry, Eagleheart. You're the best mentor in all of the clans, you know you are… but I have to be with my family, I have to be with my dad. It's nothing personal, I promise! I just have to do this."

"But… But I'm family." Quailpaw mewed, her voice almost too quiet to hear. The she-cat peeped at her brother, her soft eyes wide and scared.

"And that's why you need to come with us." Viperhiss mewed, looking at his daughter. "To be with your family, not with these cats."

Quailpaw looked her father in the eyes, her body shaking. Eagleheart felt his heart beat faster, feeling like every cat could hear it. Looking at Quailpaw, his eyes silently pleaded for her to stay. _Please Quailpaw, I can't lose you. _Cinderpaws stared at Quailpaw intensely, the two exchanging a look. After what seemed like an eternity, the she-cat finally mewed, "I… cant."

His shoulders sagging in relief, Eagleheart flinched as Viperhiss let out a loud sound. The tom stared at his daughter in shock, his eyes wide. "But Quailpaw, don't you get it? These cats don't love you, they don't respect you. As long as you're related to me, they'll always hate you. They think you're a traitor, just like me. Why would you want to stay around cats like that?"

"Because they don't think that of me." Quailpaw stared her father defiantly. "These are my clanmates, they love me and treat me like one, no matter who I'm related to."

"But these cats killed your mother!"

"She died from giving birth, Viperhiss! She died because of _you_!" Cinderpaws hissed, glaring at his brother.

Viperhiss growled, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't kill her, you did. You think you've fooled them, but you didn't fool me. I saw the dea-"

"Shut up and leave! She doesn't want to go with you!" Cinderpaws interrupted, stepping forward threateningly.

Shaking his head angrily, Viperhiss looked back at Quailpaw. "Quailpaw sweetie, listen. You're too young to understand, but we're outsiders. You're part rogue, these cats know it, that's why they treat you differently." Eagleheart's eyes widened. _What? Part rogue?_ "Cinderpaws and I were brought to this clan as rogue kits, they wanted to kill us, but-"

"Stop with the lies!" Flamestar hissed, his tail lashing. "You were not mistreated, we did not want to kill you! You-"

"How would you know?" Viperhiss growled. "You were a kit yourself!"

"Leave. My. Camp." Flamestar snapped, stepping closer with each word.

Ignoring the tom, Viperhiss turned back to his daughter. "You're making a mistake, Quailpaw. Come with us now, me and your brother need you."

Quailpaw looked at her paws, then shook her head. "No Viperhiss, I wont. I belong in a clan, I can't be a loner with you."

Shocked, Viperhiss' mouth opened and closed a few times. After a while the tom curled his lip, his voice a gutteral snarl. "Fine. I hope we never cross paths again, for your sake." Viperhiss lifted his head to address the crowd, his nostrils flaring. "For all of your sakes!"

Viperhiss and Ashpaw then turned around, preparing to leave. As they reached the camp entrance, Eagleheart shouted, "Ashpaw, wait!" The young apprentice turned around, his eyes sad and glassy. "Please."

"I'm sorry, Eagleheart, but I have to do this. But don't worry, I'll probably come visit again!"

"No." Flametar mewed, coming to stand next to Eagleheart. "Once you leave, you can _never_ come back."

Looking reluctant for a second, Ashpaw looked at his paws, his body shaking. Feeling his chest fill with hope, Eagleheart's smile dropped as Ashpaw shook his head, his amber eyes determined. "Okay. Then I wish you the best lives ever. I'll miss you guys, but I have to go." With that, the tom turned back around, stepping out of the camp.

Eagleheart watched his apprentice leave, his heart feeling broken and shattered. His mind raced with jumbled thoughts, each speaking over the other in a symphony of distorted sadness. _Was I not a good mentor? Did I not encourage him enough? Was I too tough on him? _Unable to hold it in anymore, Eagleheart broke down, falling to the floor and letting out a loud wail of anguish. Flamestar placed his tail on his and murmured something, but the warrior barely heard it as a loud, harrowing thought entered his mind, its deafening sound drowning out the others.

_I am a failure._

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Hello there, its been a while! I havent posted in almost 2 months, I'm so sorry! I've been extremely busy with work, family and college applications, so I didnt have much time to write. **

**That aside, here's chapter 26! Poor Eagleheart! Things were just starting to get better for him, and now his apprentice is gone! Viperhiss makes a sudden appearance and takes Ashpaw with him, who willingly goes! Will we see these two again in the future? Maybe, probably not. Stay tuned for chapter 27, which should be out tomorrow!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	29. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Buzzardpaw opened his eyes, his ears perked and alert as he took in his surroundings. As the soft, soggy damp ground squelched between his toes and the thick smell of mold and fungus hit his nose, Buzzardpaw hummed as he realized where he was. _The Place of No Stars. It's been a while. _Walking aimlessly through the dense labrinth, Buzzardpaw growled in frustration as his paws began to tire. "Darkenedstreak? Eaglepaw? Anyone?" He called out, only met with deafening silence. _I'm so tired, I had a really long day of training today._ With a loud huff, Buzzardpaw flopped onto his haunches, his whiskers twitching as he waited for someone to find him.

After what seemed like forever, the air near him began to vibrate, black particles rising from it. With a dim flash a cat appeared, their face weary and confused. Buzzardpaw smiled as he realized who it was. "Eaglepaw!"

Eaglepaw looked around, his eyes narrowed. As he recognized his brother, the tom eased up, his body relaxing slightly. "Hello."

Buzzardpaw's smile stretched wider. "It's been so long! How are you? What have you been up to? How's ShadowClan? Did you go to the last gathering? Are you-"

"Shut up."

Buzzardpaw paused, his smile turning into a frown. "What?"

"Shut up." Eaglepaw repeated, his tail lashing. "I have a massive headache."

His eyebrows furrowing in concern, Buzzardpaw blinked at his brother. "Oh Eaglepaw, what happened?"

"Everything happened." The tom was silent for a while, looking at his paws. "And it's-" He stopped, clearing his throat to keep his voice from cracking. "It's Eagleheart now."

His eyes widening, Buzzardpaw stepped closer, a small smile on his face. "You received your warrior name? That's great! Did Mousestar announce it at the Gathering?"

Eagleheart visible flinched, taking in a long shuddering breath. "Mousestar is dead."

Buzzardpaw gasped in shock. "What?! How'd she die?"

"She was killed by rogues." Eagleheart didn't look up, his body trembling.

Seeing his brother in distress, Buzzardpaw felt his heart break. _How come no one told me about this? Goldenstar told me nothing important had happened at the Gathering, other than WindClan being attacked and the leaders deciding to work together. Why would he leave out an important thing like this? _He pressed his head to Eagleheart's, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry, Eagleheart, I didn't know…" Buzzardpaw trailed off as he heard a loud, choking sound came from his brother. Lifting his head, Buzzardpaw realized the tom was crying, a thin stream of tears flowing from his eyes. Pressing his body against his, Buzzardpaw soothed his brother, running his tail up and down his spine as he cried. The two toms sat like that for a while, their foreboding surroundings forgotten as they embraced each other.

Letting out a small sniffle, Eagleheart lifted his head, his golden eyes dull as he stared forward. "I have… I had an apprentice," The tom started, his voice weak and crackly. "Ashpaw. The brightest little tom, extremely smart and kind. He cracked jokes all the time, even during training. I tried to be stern, but he'd do this goofy little grin…" Eagleheart smiled slightly, his eyes brightening a little as he thought of his apprentice. "He was very silly, he could make the grumpiest ShadowClan cat smile. He was so young and innocent… I only started training him half a moon ago…"

Buzzardpaw looked at his brother, wrapping his tail around him. "Did he, you know…"

"He's not dead, well I hope that he isn't." Eagleheart mewed after a moment of silence. "Three sunrises ago, I took him out to hunt. Hunting is definitely his weakest trait, he was clumsier than a badger. No matter what I taught him, he could never get the Hunter's Crouch down, until I showed him a new way. The way his eyes lit up after he caught his first prey, it made me feel warm inside. He said I was the best mentor ever, he said…" The tom lifted his head to the sky, a long sigh escaping his mouth. "We came back to camp and everything was normal. Nothing out of the ordinary and then… and then he came."

"Who came?"

Eagleheart stared at his Buzzardpaw, his eyes tired and dull. "Viperhiss."

Buzzardpaw's eyebrows furrowed. "But didn't he leave ShadowClan moons ago?"

The tom nodded. "He did, but something made him come back that day. He demanded to have his kits, Ashpaw and his sister Quailpaw, he said they belonged with him. After the amazing day we had, after how much we bonded, I never thought it would happen, I... " Eagleheart paused and swallowed, taking in a shaky breath. "Quailpaw agreed to stay, but Ashpaw…" Eagleheart buried his head into his brother's shoulder and sobbed quietly. Buzzardpaw rested his head on top of his brother's, feeling his sorrow. "Why did he leave me? Was I a bad mentor? Was I not warm enough? He only left three sunrises ago, but it feels like it has been moons." Eagleheart lifted his head to stare forward, his golden eyes dull and unfocused. "He helped me cope with my mother's death. When I was with him, nothing else mattered, my focus was on him and him alone. I was going to help him become the greatest warrior he could be, but he betrayed me. He left me to go StarClan knows where. He left me all alone. I have no one."

"You have me." Buzzardpaw mewed, giving his brother a small smile. "Hey, look at me." Eagleheart didn't turn to face him, continuing to stare forward with his shoulders hunched. Buzzardpaw frowned, moving to where his brother was facing him. "You have me, Eagleheart. I promise that I'll never betray you."

Eagleheart lifted his head slightly, still not meeting his brother's gaze. "You promise?"

"I promise. I-"

"What a sweet moment." A chilling voice mewed from behind the toms. Buzzardpaw whipped around to see Darkenedstreak materializing into view, an unimpressed look on her face. "If I see anymore tears today, I'm tearing your eyes out. Sit up." Eagleheart slowly sat up, his dark gaze focusing on the she-cat. "Much better. Congratulations on earning your warrior name, by the way."

Eagleheart did not respond.

Darkenedstreak stared at the warrior for a moment but didn't say anything, her tail tip twitching irritably. "Anyways. It's been a while. I haven't seen you two in almost a whole moon. I'm sure you both are a bit rusty with your training, so tonight is a bit of a free-for-all. Go ahead and find yourself an opponent, I'm sure you both have some stress you'd like to relieve." The she-cat began to fade, the sparks around her body fizzing madly. "Oh, and remember; I'll be watching from above." With that, the she-cat faded completely, nothing but her scent lingering in the place that she sat.

Buzzardpaw looked at Eagleheart, who continued to stare forward blankly. He stepped forward and rested his tail on his brother's shoulder, which the warrior flinched away from. "Eagleheart? Are you okay?"

The tom blinked a few times then rose to his paws, not turning to face his brother. "I'm fine. I'm going off."

Before Buzzardpaw could say anything, Eagleheart walked deeper into the woods, eventually fading into the darkness. The apprentice stood still for a few heartbeats, his whiskers twitching. _I sure do hope he's alright, Eagleheart always seems to be going through hard times. Him being stressed makes _me _stressed. _Letting out a quiet sigh, Buzzardpaw headed in the direction his brother did, eventually emerging into a large clearing. The clearing was populated with cats, both dead and alive, who either battled or spoke with one another. Sitting at the edge of the clearing, Buzzardpaw looked around for a familiar face, frowning when he found none. Slouching, Buzzardpaw disinterestedly watched the cats fight around him, his eyes drooping. _Why did Darkendstreak bring us here tonight? She didn't even have anything planned, and I'm so sleepy! _Wrapping his tail around himself, the apprentice opened his jaws to yawn, but stopped as he suddenly felt the chilling feeling of being watched. Whipping his head around, Buzzardpaw grunted as he found nothing, shaking himself. _Maybe I just imagined it. _

"So what, you just came here to watch and not train?" A voice mewed. Buzzardpaw looked around for the source, frowning as he was unable to find it. Turning back to the clearing, the apprentice screeched as something heavy landed next to him, startling him.

Unsheathing his claws, Buzzardpaw bared his fangs at the newcomer, their features indecipherable in the thick darkness. "Who are you?"

"Oh, don't tell me you don't remember me, friend." The cat mewed. They stepped closer, visible now due to the dim glow of a nearby toadstool. A stocky brown and white tom stood before Buzzardpaw, his eyes flashing menacingly. A long, ugly pink scar ran across his throat, wriggling like a snake every time he spoke. Narrowing his eyes, Buzzardpaw stepped back in realization. _Spottedpaw! _As if he noticed his look, Spottedpaw glared harder, his tail lashing. "So you do remember. I'm assuming you also remember what you _did_ to me?"

"I'm sorry Spottedpaw, I truly am. I didn't mean for our last fight to end the way it did."

Spottedpaw scoffed, stepping closer. "Oh yes, a sorry removes this disgusting scar you gave me. Look at me! You ruined me, just because I wounded your pride."

_Wounded my pride"? Where is he getting this from? _"I think you're the one not remembering correctly now. I was forced to do that to you, it wasn't on my own accord." Buzzardpaw sighed, sheathing his claws. "Look, I'm really sorry about your scar, but what's done is done. I can't change the past. Again, that wasn't me, it was Darkendstreak."

"Oh, but that's not how it happened. Darkendstreak held me down, yes, but _you're _the cat that landed the "killing blow". Here's a word of advice: if you ever plan to kill a cat, make sure you finish the job. Otherwise they'll come back to hunt you down."

Slowly growing more and more annoyed, Buzzardpaw rolled his eyes. "I'm not in the mood for empty threats, Spottedpaw. If you're looking for a fight, I'll give you one right now."

"Empty threats?" The tom chuckled. "You make me laugh. You don't know how badly I want to claw your throat out right now, but I won't. You see, I was naive then. Young and stupid. I won't make the mistake of striking when I'm at a disadvantage ever again." Seeing his confused look, Spottedpaw snarled, his tail lashing. "I know you have Darkendstreak and Eaglepaw at your beck-and-call, they'll rush in to protect their helpless little Buzzy-Wuzzy if he even _looks _like he's in distress. Mark my words Buzzardpaw, my moment will come, and that moment will be your end."

Letting out a loud, irritated sigh, Buzzardpaw looked the shorter tom squarely in the eyes. "If you say so, Spottedpaw."

Spottedpaw unsheathed his claws, his teeth bared. "I suggest that you're on high alert from now on, I'll come when you least expect it. Your darkest hour will be my greatest, I'll show you a _real_ killing blow. And also, it's Spottedclaw now."

"If you say so, Spotted_paw_." Buzzardpaw repeated, putting emphasis on the -paw suffix.

Spottedclaw flashed the apprentice an angry look, his claws repeatedly sheathing and unsheathing. "Our quarrel isn't over, the next time you see me, it'll be my claws gouging your eyes out!" The tom hissed once more, turning around to stalk deeper into the shadows.

"I don't even know why we have a 'quarrel' to begin with." Buzzardpaw muttered to himself. "I do feel bad for doing that to him, but he's just being a jerk for no reason. If I'm being honest with myself, I don't even remember what happened exactly." Thinking about it for a while, Buzzardpaw realized that he truly couldn't remember all the details, no matter how hard he tried. _I remember Darkendstreak pinning him down and telling me to kill him, then everything went black, like I was being controlled. When I opened my eyes, Spottedclaw was lying in a pool of his own blood. What was that, anyways? Why can't I remember the entire scene? _Shaking his head, the apprentice turned back to the bustling clearing, his eyes focusing on two shapes across from him.

Dragonflywing sat at the farthest end of the clearing, his mismatched eyes staring intently in a direction. Toadstalk sat next to him, a confused look on his face. Usure of what the warrior was looking at as well, Buzzardpaw stalked closer, using the shadows of the foliage around him to hide himself.

"... Did you hear that?" Dragonflywing was saying, his ears pricked and alert.

Toadstalk shook his head, his eyebrows furrowing. "I didn't. What can you hear?"

Dragonflywing remained silent, his eyes narrowing. The warrior then shook his head, turning to the WindClan deputy. "I must have imagined it. Anyways, how has WindClan been doing since the attack?"

"Things have been better, but our warriors are recovering."

"I heard that Furzestar lost a life at the Gathering." Dragonflywing mewed, his tail tip curling. "What a shame."

"A shame that she didn't lose all of them." Toadstalk growled. Buzzardpaw gasped from his hiding spot. _Toadstalk wanted her to die? But why? _"Do you have any idea on when the next attack may be?"

The ThunderClan warrior shook his head, his eyes flashing. "I don't, but I do plan on visiting them again soon. Things have been changing up at the barn, Pitch has new information every time."

Buzzardpaw narrowed his eyes. _So both of them are working with the rogues. Foxhearted traitors! _He continued to listen, struggling to keep his breathing quiet.

"I've heard." Toadstalk hummed. "I also heard that there's a new-"

The tom was cut off by a loud screech from Dragonflywing. Something had fallen from above, landing squarely onto his back and pinning him. Looking closer, Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the attacker. _Eagleheart! _The ShadowClan tom had his paw pressed into the back of the tom's neck, pushing his muzzle into the soggy earth below.

"Get off of me!" Dragonflywing growled, his voice muffled as he struggled under the much bigger cat.

"Never!" Eagleheart spat, pressing into the tom's neck harder. "You ruined my life! My mother is dead because of you! My apprentice is gone because of you! My life is ruined because of you! You don't know how to keep your mouth shut, so I'll make sure it never opens again."

Coming out of his daze, Toadstalk unsheathed his claws, preparing to attack the ShadowClan warrior. Before he could, Buzzardpaw bolted forward, meeting the warrior midair with a flurry of claws and teeth. The two toms wrestled with each other, struggling to gain an advantage over the other. Sweeping his paws under Toadstalk's, Buzzardpaw leapt on top of the tom as he fell, pinning him down. "You will never touch my brother!" The apprentice growled, his tail lashing.

Buzzardpaw turned his head as he heard a screech from behind him. Dragonflywing had managed to escape from Eagleheart's grasp and faced him head on, but it was obvious the ThunderClan warrior was losing badly. Blood gushed from deep cuts on his shoulder and rump, coating the ground with thick crimson liquid. Slipping on his own blood, Dragonflywing fell to the ground, Eagleheart on top of him again in a heartbeat. Mashing his bloody paw against the warrior's head, Eagleheart leaned down to whisper something into his ear. Buzzardpaw didn't hear it however, as Toadstalk had used his distraction to throw the apprentice off. The wind knocked out of him, Buzzardpaw crouched prepared for another attack. Much to his surprise however, Toadstalk had ran away, his black pelt melting into the shadowy woods.

Turning his head to the fighting warriors beside him, Buzzardpaw winced as Dragonflywing slashed his paws into the air, one happening to catch Eagleheart in the eye. Eagleheart hissed and flinched back from the attack, which Dragonflywing used to his advantage, escaping and running after Toadstalk. Looking at his brother, Buzzardpaw clenched his teeth as he saw a thick stream of blood pouring from the tom's socket. "Eagleheart? Are you alright?"

Eagleheart did not respond, his eye shut tightly. The tom stood there for a moment, his body stiff and unmoving. Suddenly, as if he were shocked by lightning, the tom's pained demeanor quickly changed to an enraged one, his teeth clenched and claws at the ready. Without a word, the ShadowClan warrior dashed into the forest, letting out an enraged battle cry.

Sighing and shaking his head, Buzzardpaw sat down to lick a scratch on his forearm. Closing his eyes, the apprentice tried his hardest to ignore the sounds around him, wishing he could be asleep in his nest instead. _There Darkenedstreak, I fought. _He thought to himself. _Can I go back to sleep now? _As if the she-cat could hear his thoughts she slowly faded into view, a small smirk on her face.

"Sleepy?" Darkendstreak mewed.

"Uh-huh."

"I can tell, but now's not the time for speaking. I watched the fight that just happened."

"Good. Can I go back to sleep now?" The tom's eyelids drooped, almost too heavy to keep open.

Darkendstreak scoffed, rolling her eyes. "That little skirmish doesnt suffice as training, but I'll give you a break. I need to speak with you."

"Speak with me?" Buzzardpaw perked, curious. "What about?"

"You'll see. Come on." The spirit rose to her paws, padding away from the clearing. Buzzardpaw followed behind, wondering what she could want from him. The two cats finally emerged into a small glade between the trees, a thick, sluggish mist wreathing around it. Darkendstreak settled into the space first, wrapping her tail around her paws as she waited for the apprentice to sit. "Here's a secluded space for us to talk."

"Shouldn't we wait for Eagleheart to come?" The apprentice questioned.

Darkenedstreak shook her head. "I feel that this information is more suited to you. It's about Dragonflywing."

"Dragonflywing? What did he do?"

"You heard bits of the conversation he was having with Toadstalk, yes?" Buzzardpaw nodded. "You heard right then. Both of them are working with the enemy."

Buzzardpaw's whiskers twitched. "But why? Why would they want to work against their clans?"

Darkenedstreak shrugged. "Misguidance, suppressed anger. Both of them have connections to the rogues, blood connections."

"So… you're saying that they're kin?"

The she-cat nodded. "More than kin. Brothers."

Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in shock. _Dragonflywing and Toadstalk are brothers? _He thought back to the conversation he had with Russetprowl the other day, and how he mentioned Dragonflywing being a descendent of an evil cat. His eyebrows furrowing, he decided to ask Darkendstreak about it. "Darkendstreak, do you know anything about Dragonflywing's father?"

Darkenedstreak was silent for a moment, her eyes going dark. Buzzardpaw noticed her change in expression, confused. _Is that… _fear_? Do Dark Forest cats get scared as well? _The apprentice felt a shudder down his spine. _What kind of cat could this tom be if he can make _Dark Forest _cats afraid? _After what seemed like an eternity, the she-cat finally spoke. "I do, but we musnt speak of him. He-"

"But why not? What's so special about this tom? I've heard so much about him, but so little at the same time!"

"He musnt be spoken of! He was a very evil cat, Buzzardpaw. He almost led to the destruction of the clans!" Darkendstreak's eyes were wild and crazed, making the apprentice uneasy. _This tom frightens evil cats like Darkendstreak… What exactly did he do? _The apprentice didn't get to ask, as Darkendstreak had continued. "We aren't here to talk about him, we're here to talk about Dragoflywing. That tom, he's a force to be reckoned with. He may not be the strongest physically, but spiritually…" The she-cat trailed off, her eyes narrowing. "Be wary of him, Buzzardpaw. He could be the very cat that destroys the clans."

Looking down at his paws, Buzzardpaw hummed as he took in this new information. "Does he have some kind of power?"

"I dont know."

"What do you mean you don't know? You say he's so strong and capable, but you don't even know _what_ he's capable of?" His eyebrows furrowing, the apprentice stood to his paws. "And why do you care about the 'destruction of the clans' so much anyways? You're a Dark Forest cat, isn't that your main goal? You condemn another cat for having ill will against us, but ill will is what got you down here in the first place!"

Darkendstreak stared at the apprentice with an indecipherable expression, her ears twitching. "I don't know because I don't know. As for your second question, there's something that you need to understand. Every cat dies twice, first when you take your last breath, and second when your name is said for the last time. StarClan and the DarkForest only exist because of the living clan cats that know about them. If the clans were to no longer exist, we wouldn't either. That applies to individual spirits as well. If there was no living cat to remember me, I would fade away to nothing. Sure, I may want revenge against the clans, but destroying them would lead to my own demise, and that's a bit counterproductive. I can't get anything done if I don't exist anymore."

Buzzardpaw blinked, staring at the she-cat intently. "Then, what _is _your goal?"

Darkenedstreak chuckled, her pupils narrowing to slits. "Well, that's a bit too easy isn't it? I know you're a double agent, you're truly fighting for StarClan, not us. No matter how much I train you, no matter what I tell you, you'll always view me as evil and your question proved that." The she-cat's lip curled into a sneer. "After all of this is over, when the rogues are defeated and everything returns to normal, you'll never think of me again, and if you do, it'll be about how much you loathe me. I've met cats like you before, you're all the same." Rising to her paws, Darkenedstreak gave her pelt an annoyed shake. "We came here to speak about the rogues, not about-"

"Rogues? Why are you talking about rogues?" A voice spoke from behind the two. Turning his head, Buzzardpaw watched Eagleheart talk from the shadows, a confused look on his face. As he got closer, Buzzardpaw noticed the tom's eye, now a gross red color and swollen shut. An odd, yellow liquid oozed from the injury, making Buzzardpaw worried. _That looks horrible... StarClan, please don't let him go blind! _Noticing the look on his brother's face, Eagleheart turned his head so only his healthy eye could be seen. "I'm fine."

Darkenedstreak smirked at the tom, her tail tip twitching mischievously. "Oh, he hasn't told you? Buzzardpaw has been 'spying' on the rogues, he visits them nearly every night."

Before he could open his mouth to say that want true, Buzzardpaw yelped in shock as Eagleheart rounded on him, his working eye blazing furiously. "What? Buzzardpaw, is this true?"

"Not every night, but-"

"Why would you even _want_ to affiliate with those savages?" The warrior growled. "They're all no good, rotten, moralless foxhearts!"

His eyebrows furrowing, Buzzardpaw shook his head. "Not all of them! There's one tom, his name is Orion. He's been giving me information about what's to come. He's a good cat, he's on our side!"

Eagleheart stepped forward, his teeth bared. "Those degenerates could never be on our side! Those rogues are the ones that killed my _mother_, Buzzardpaw, my _mother! _They're the scum of the earth, they only do things for themselves! "

Narrowing his eyes, Buzzardpaw stepped forward as well. The two toms were muzzle to muzzle now, their faces contorted with frustration and anger. "That's not true! My friend Orion, he-"

"You've made _friends_ with them?" Eagleheart hissed, his pelt bristling. "Traitor! You're a traitor!"

Buzzardpaw hissed back, curling his lips into a snarl. "I'm not a traitor, I'm getting information for the clans! He's on our side, he's a good cat!"

"You're sounding like a broken record here." Eagleheart began to pace, sheathing and unsheathing his claws. "Alright, since you're being stubborn, what makes this 'Orion' character trustworthy? For all you know, he's getting information off of _you_, not the other way around."

Buzzardpaw's pupils narrowed to slits. "I know he's trustworthy because… because…" Suddenly, the apprentice began to doubt himself. _What if he's right? What if Orion _is _tricking me?_ As he thought more and more of his friend, his doubts cleared. _No. Orion's too genuine to be faking it. It's not true, he really is a good cat. _"He's trustworthy because I know him, I've known him for a few moons now."

"Anyone can fake being a good cat, Buzzardpaw. He's putting on an act, he doesn't truly care about you. To him, you're a young and naive apprentice that's too innocent to realize how stupid he's being."

_Young and naive? We're the same age! _"So that's what this is about," Buzzardpaw started, "You think you know everything because you're a warrior now. You think-"

"That's not it, Buzzardpaw, its-"

"You keep cutting me off! That's how I know it's true! Ditch the superiority complex and listen to me, Eagleheart. What I'm doing is-"

"Superiority complex?" Eagleheart's eye flashed in anger. "I'm looking _out_ for you. I've lost too many cats in the last moon Buzzardpaw, I'm not losing you too." Eagleheart sighed. "You're all I have. I don't want you going back there."

Buzzardpaw stared at his brother, his frustration and fatigue stressing him even more. "I don't care what you want." He growled, before he could stop himself. "You don't control me. You're acting like a typical ShadowClan cat, thinking you can boss me around just because. Well you can't, Eagleheart, because I-"

"I'm looking _out_ for you." The warrior repeated through clenched teeth. "If I'm being a typical ShadowClan cat, you're acting like a typical ThunderClan cat, sticking your nose into business that isn't yours. What you're doing is going to get you _killed _Buzzardpaw, and you don't even realize it!"

"But it wont!" Taking in a deep breath, Buzzardpaw exhaled it in a loud sigh. "Look, Eagleheart, I can't prove Orion's loyalty in words. If you truly want to find out, you should see for yourself."

Eagleheart scoffed. "Go to the rogues? That's a death sentence. You can't be serious."

Buzzardpaw looked his brother squarely in the eyes. "I'm as serious as a heart attack."

"And what if you're barking up the wrong tree?"

"That's why you should come with me! If you're so worried for my safety, I'll be better off if you come with me as well. Think about it! Strength in numbers."

"There's two of us and an _army _of them. I'm not going." Eagleheart turned away, preparing to leave.

"Please Eagleheart! I want to prove to you that Orion is a good cat. How else can I?"

"By not going back there and staying alive." The warrior mewed, not turning around.

Buzzardpaw raced to stand in front of his brother, blocking his exit. "Please, it won't be just us, there will be five others. There's a group of them, friends with Orion, they don't agree with the rogues either. The night after WindClan was attacked, I visited to get answers. All of them were untouched, they refused to help the other rogues attack the clan. These cats are on _our _side, Eagleheart, they want to help us."

"No, I'm not going." The warrior tried to push past him, but Buzzardpaw stood still. "Move out of my way."

"No! Not unless you consider it."

"Ok, fine." The warrior narrowed his eye. "Say what you're saying is true, and I do go. I'm sure the 'bad' rogues wouldn't be too happy about two clan cats roaming around their base."

Buzzardpaw shook his head. "Trust me, they aren't that organized, the most they would do is chase us out. Besides, there are multiple ways to get in. We can spy on them without them even seeing us."

"They killed my mother." The tom replied bitterly. "I'm sure they'd do more than just "chase us out.""

"Please Eagleheart."

Eagleheart huffed, still looking unconvinced. "You say you've got some information already? What is it then?"

Buzzardpaw hummed, thinking about the information Orion had given him the other night. "There are two sections, the General-Section and the bad cat section. The General-Section is just a group of loners, they want nothing to do with the clans and just want to live with their families. The bad cats however, are territorial and strict. There's only about a dozen of them. They're the ones that attacked WindClan."

"You said there were only five 'good' ones, but from what I understand there're a lot of cats against the clans, definitely more than a dozen. Therefore, this 'General-Section' isn't as docile as you say, yes?"

"Well yeah, but they only helped attack because they were forced by the Renaissance."

Eagleheart furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "The Renaissance?"

Buzzardpaw nodded. "That's what the bad rogues call themselves."

Eagleheart rolled his eye. "That seems organized to me." The tom sighed, looking at his brother with a tired expression. "So, you think that we'll be safe with only _five_ other cats against the Renaissance _and _the General-Section?"

"I know we'll be safe because they never bother my group of friends. They always stay in their barn houses, I've never seen another cat cross over into Orion's area."

"Have you questioned _why _Orion's group isn't bothered? If the Renaissance is as forceful as you described, isn't it a little strange that they didn't force Orion's group to fight as well?"

Buzzardpaw paused, processing the question. _Now that I think about it, it is a bit odd. It's obvious that Orion and the others exist, they even have their own barn house. Why_ is _it that the Renaissance doesn't bother them? _Shaking his doubts away, the apprentice made sure his brother didn't see his hesitance. "Please, Eagleheart. While we're there, we might get more answers. We might find out more information about what happened to Mousestar, maybe even find the cat that harmed her! Don't you want to avenge your mother?"

Eagleheart was silent for a while, looking his brother in the eye. _Please, StarClan. I want to prove to him that Orion can be trusted. _After what seemed like an eternity, the warrior let out a loud sigh in defeat. "Alright, I'll go."

Buzzardpaw struggled to keep from jumping up and down in excitement. "Oh, I knew you'd come around! Meet me at the ThunderClan border at sunhigh, when the moon is almost full."

"Why then?"

"I always visit a quarter moon before the Gathering, so Orion will be expecting me. He'll be so surprised when I bring you too!"

Eagleheart sighed, sounding reluctant. "I hope in a good way. If he does _anything _suspicious, I'm clawing your friend's ears off, you hear me?"

Buzzardpaw nodded enthusiastically, smiling from ear to ear. "Don't worry, you won't have to. I'll see you then?"

"I guess so." As he said this, the air around the warrior began to ripple. With a flash of light, the tom was gone, leaving Buzzardpaw alone.

_He must have woken up. _Lifting his head to look at the crooked branches above him, Buzzardpaw smiled. _Thank you, StarClan. Together with Eagleheart, I'll be unstoppable, we'll get to the bottom of this!_

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Chapter 27 is here! Buzzardpaw has convinced Eagleheart to come with him to visit the barn! Hopefully nothing _suspicious _happens! (wink wink nudge nudge) Since the next chapter is a barn one, its going to be pretty long, so hopefully I'll have it posted by next week or the week after. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	30. Chapter 28 (Part One)

Chapter 28

Buzzardpaw rose from his nest, stretching his limbs as he yawned loudly. Weak dawn light filtered into the apprentice's den, its gentle softness boosting the tom's spirits. A quarter moon had passed since Buzzardpaw's Dark Forest training, the night's half moon now almost a full circle. _That means Eagleheart and I visit the barn today. _The apprentice hummed, thinking about his brother's reluctance. _I hope he doesn't get cold feet… I want him to come with me!_ Sauntering out of the den, Buzzardpaw looked around the relatively empty camp. Palecloud sat at the edge of camp, his back facing the apprentice as he quietly spoke with Foxgrowl. _They're probably getting ready for the dawn patrol, I'll go join them!_

"... and you're sure it's today?" Palecloud was saying as Buzzardpaw got closer, his voice unsure.

"I'm positive." Foxgrowl mewed. "He'll make his entrance tonight, it'll be like an inauguration." Buzzardpaw's ears perked in interest. _That sounds nothing like a patrol. What are they talking about? _"Do you plan on-" The warrior stopped talking as he noticed the apprentice, his eyes narrowing to slits. _Uh-oh. I guess I wasn't supposed to hear that._

Palecloud turned around to see what the tom was looking at, a confused look on his face. When his eyes fell onto Buzzardpaw the deputy's expression turned to one of surprise, then fear. Letting out a quiet chuckle, Palecloud smiled. "Hello Buzzardpaw! You're awake early."

"Yeah, something woke me up." _My excitement for today woke me up! _"I was wondering if I could join the dawn patrol?"

The pale brown tom nodded to the apprentice, his whiskers twitching. "Of course, let's just wait for more cats to wake up. Did Russetprowl tell you to join the patrol?"

Buzzardpaw shook his head no.

Palecloud smiled, his yellow eyes warm. "He'll be mighty proud of you then. I'll make sure to tell him when he wakes up."

The three toms sat in a comfortable silence as they patiently waited for the clan to wake. Buzzardpaw noticed Foxgrowl staring at him intently, his hot gaze sending prickles down the apprentice's spine. _I guess he's still mad about me overhearing. It's not like it matters or anything, I don't even know what they were talking about!_ Feeling awkward, Buzzardpaw padded towards the freshkill pile to find something to snack on. Sniffing around the small pile, Buzzardpaw plucked a stale mouse from the bottom, settling down to eat. _It was caught last night so it's a bit stale, butit'll suffice. _Finishing the meal with a few hasty bites, Buzzardpaw rejoined Palecloud and Foxgrowl, who now had Voletail sitting with them.

"Enjoyed your meal?" Palecloud mewed as the apprentice approached. Buzzardpaw nodded, swiping his tongue over his jaws. "Good. I feel like you three would be enough for a border patrol. You should re-mark the WindClan border, I didn't send a patrol there yesterday."

Nodding, Foxgrowl led the two toms out of camp, his tail held high in the air. Following behind Voletail, Buzzardpaw lifted his head to watch the sun slowly crawl its way above the horizon. He let out a quiet sigh and frowned. _StarClan, make time go by faster!_

* * *

Buzzardpaw rested his head on his paws, boredly watching Springkit and Brindlekit play with a ball of moss. The two kits had invited the apprentice to play with them but Buzzardpaw was too tired, having just returned from a hunting patrol. _I've been on three different patrols today- two border patrols and a hunting patrol- and it's _still _not sunhigh! _Glancing upwards, Buzzardpaw grumbled to himself as the sun taunted him, painstakingly slowly inching its way through the sky. He flinched as something soft bounced off of his head, quickly realizing it was the ball of moss the kits were playing with.

"Sorry Buzzardpaw!" Springkit mewed, bounding over towards him. "Brindlekit is a bit of a klutz, he can never catch the moss when I throw it high!"

"Am not!" Brindlekit protested, tackling his sister. "You're just a showoff!"

Buzzardpaw watched the kittens wrestle, a small smile on his face. _At least I have a small distraction. _He batted at Springkit's side as she flashed her tiny claws a bit too close to his face, making the kit yelp in surprise. She rounded on him and leapt at his head, a mischievous grin on her face. Brindlekit had jumped on him as well, and eventually the apprentice was on his back, the two kittens pinning him down to the dusty floor.

"The prey has been slaughtered!" Springkit yowled, her tail held triumphantly in the air.

Brindlekit nodded, a huge grin on his face. "It will feed the clans for moons!" The kit unsheathed his claws, the sharp thorns digging into Buzzardpaw's belly fur. Wincing, Buzzardpaw rolled over, careful not to crush the two kittens beneath him.

"Oof!" Springkit huffed, her paws scrabbling to get from under the much larger tom. "The prey is fighting back! Retreat, retreat!"

"I can't," Brindlekit grunted, kicking at the apprentice's belly, "he's too fat!"

"Am not!" Buzzardpaw hissed, slightly pressing down on the kits. Buzzardpaw giggled as they protested by kicking him harder, finally rising to his paws.

Gasping for air dramatically, Springkit fell onto her back. "Thank StarClan, I can breathe again! I thought I was going to die under there!"

Rolling his eyes, Buzzardpaw cuffed Brindlekit over the ears as he nodded in agreement with his sister. "Whatever. I thought-"

Buzzardpaw was cut off by a loud yowl from Palecloud. "Gather around for the sunhigh patrol!" Lifting his head to the sky, the apprentice cheered inwardly as he saw the sun hanging directly over the camp. _Time to go! _Beginning to step away from the kits, Buzzardpaw stopped as something yanked his tail.

"Hey, where are you going?" Springkit mewed, a small frown on her face. "We aren't finished playing."

"I'm... " Buzzardpaw thought for a second, searching for a decent lie. "I'm going to the dirt place. The mouse I ate earlier isn't agreeing with my stomach, I feel like I'm about to-"

"Yuck!" The she-kit cut him off, making a face. "TMI!"

Sticking his tongue out at her, Buzzardpaw padded towards the dirt place, trying his hardest to not seem suspicious. Not facing forwards, the apprentice leapt backwards in shock as he bumped into something furry.

The ball of fluff screeched as the apprentice collided with it, whipping around to show Softkit's surprised face. The she-kits expression turned to one of embarrassment as she realized who her attacker was, her cheeks reddening. "B-Buzzardpaw!"

"I'm sorry!" The apprentice apologized, looking as embarrassed as the kit. He slipped past her and headed towards the small hole in the ravine that led out of camp. Ducking to squeeze through it, he tensed as a small voice called out to him.

"Where are you going?" Softkit mewed, her voice sounding puzzled.

Struggling to conjure a lie, Buzzardpaw let out a deep sigh. "Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"I promise." The she-kit whispered.

Buzzardpaw turned around, looking at Softkit with an unsure look. _She looks sincere enough, I hope she doesn't rat me out! _"I'm going to visit my brother. I haven't seen him in a while and I want to see how he's doing."

Softkit's eyes widened. "But isn't he in ShadowClan?" She squeaked rather loudly. Seeing the alarm on Buzzardpaw's face, she lowered her voice again. "Won't you get in trouble?"

"Yes, and that's why you can't tell anyone. Can I trust you?" Softkit frowned, making Buzzardpaw's eyes darken. "Please, Softkit. You know what it's like to have siblings around you all the time, I don't. I'm not doing anything wrong, I just want to check on my kin."

Buzzardpaw's heart raced as Softkit remained silent, her expression still unsure. The sound of pawsteps caught his attention, making his eyes widen. _Someone's coming! _Softkit turned towards the approaching cat, then back to Buzzardpaw. The apprentice silently pleaded with her, his ears flattening in desperation.

"Softkit?" The voice called, stepping into view. _Russetprowl! _Buzzardpaw's heart sank as he recognized his mentor's voice. _That's even worse! _"Whatcha doin' back here? Is someone with you?"

Whipping around, Softkit lifted her head to look at the warrior. His spine prickling, Buzzardpaw closed his eyes, preparing for the she-kit to tell on him. "No, Russetprowl, I was just chasing a butterfly! It flew back here and disappeared, I was just heading back out." Buzzardpaw's shoulders relaxed as he listened to the kit's lie. _Thank you, Softkit! I owe you one! _Not waiting to hear his mentor's response, he quietly crept backwards through the hole, dashing out once he was outside of camp.

Racing towards the ShadowClan border, Buzzardpaw skidded to a halt as he reached the small stream that separated the two territories, taking a few sips of the cool water. Peering across the border, Buzzardpaw frowned as no cat came, his paws itching with impatience. _I wish I picked a more specific spot to meet!_ Letting out a quiet sigh, the apprentice slowly walked up and down the border, his ears pricked for any commotion on the other side.

His paws aching from his pacing, Buzzardpaw flopped down to his haunches and frowned. He had waited for a while, and the sun was no longer directly above the forest, now at an angle to the ground. _It's been a while, I'm sure the sunhigh patrol is back at camp now! Did Eagleheart change his mind? _As quickly as the thought entered his mind, a bush on the other side of the stream began to rustle, a few leaves falling into the calm water. Rising to his paws, Buzzardpaw's frown deepened as he realized it was only a small mouse causing the commotion. Clearly in a blind panic, the mouse crossed the water and hurtled straight into the apprentice, quickly meeting its end as Buzzardpaw slammed his paw onto its spine. _Stupid mouse-brain! Wait… that's actually kind of funny! _Before he could chuckle at his own joke, Buzzardpaw lifted his head as the undergrowth began to rustle again.

"Foxdung!" A voice hissed. The apprentice rose to his paws as he realized who it was. _Eagleheart! _A few heartbeats later, the warrior burst through the bushes, his claws unsheathed and nose to the ground. Following the invisible trail to the stream, Eagleheart lifted his head as it disappeared, his golden eyes falling onto the ThunderClan apprentice. Buzzardpaw frowned as Eagleheart made a face at him. "I was hoping I wouldn't find you here."

"Why not?" Buzzardpaw mewed, feeling hurt.

"Because you're going to try to take me to the rogues." the ShadowClan warrior sighed.

Buzzardpaw looked at his paws, then back to his brother. "Do you not want to go? If you don't want to, you don't have to."

Eagleheart shrugged, sheathing his claws back into his paws. "I'm here now, I might as well come."

Without a moment's notice, the warrior crossed the stream into ThunderClan territory, startling the apprentice. The two touched noses in a polite greeting, allowing Buzzardpaw to get a good look at the warrior's eye. Though it wasn't as puffy and red as it was the night it got clawed, Eagleheart's eye still looked bad, its normal shine now filmy and unfocused. His top eyelid was sliced halfway open, making Buzzardpaw wince. Realizing what his brother was looking at, Eagleheart stepped back, turning his head so only his good eye could be seen. "It's fine. Cinderpaws says that I wont go blind, but my vision will be a bit blurry in that eye." The warrior huffed, his whiskers twitching. "Hunting is a pain now."

Taking the opportunity to change the subject, Buzzardpaw lifted his paw to reveal the mouse he had killed. "Speaking of, I think this belongs to you."

Bending down to sniff the prey, Eagleheart shook his head. "It's on ThunderClan territory, so it's yours now. Enjoy."

Insisting, Buzzardpaw pushed the mouse closer to his brother. "Seriously, eat it. The barn is a ways away from here, I know a shortcut but I know you'll be hungry by the time we get there."

Not pressing any further, Eagleheart ate the furry animal with a few swift bites. His ears pricked for any nearby patrols, Buzzardpaw nodded once the warrior was finished. His paws began to itch with excitement as Eagleheart rose. "Alright, come on, we're wasting daylight!" Not waiting for his brother's response, Buzzardpaw raced deeper into ThunderClan territory, keeping close to the thick undergrowth in case the two encountered a stray patrol. Heading towards the WindClan border, Buzzardpaw ducked and swerved underneath the bramble and thorn bushes, skidding to a halt near the tunnel entrance. "Here we are!" He chirped, a bright smile on his face. His smile slowly dissolved as he realized his brother was no longer with him, his happy expression now one of dread. Backtracking his path, the apprentice sighed in relief as he found the warrior underneath a thorn bush, the spiny bristles caught deep into his thick pelt.

Unsheathing his claws, Eagleheart relaxed as he recognized his brother. "I'm stuck."

"I can tell." Buzzardpaw plucked a few thorns from the bush with his teeth, careful not to stab himself in the tongue. _Mousebrained Eagleheart! It'll take forever to get him out! _He continued to slowly pull the spiny trendles from his brother's fur, eventually freeing his shoulders and torso. He stopped as he noticed Eagleheart tense up. "What?"

"... and afterwards, we'll see what the others say." A voice was saying. Buzzardpaw's face fell as he recognized the voice. _Goldenstar!_

"An' you believe they'll take to it kindly?" Another tom's voice mewed. _Russetprowl too? Great StarClan, I need to hurry! _He clawed at the bush frantically, earning a hiss from Eagleheart.

"Hey!" The tom whispered angrily. "That hurts!"

"I have to get you out quickly. There's a patrol coming!"

"I can hear them, but you don't have to rip my pelt off!" Eagleheart growled, pulling his upper body from under the bush. Now only his haunches and tail were stuck, the thorns clinging to the thick fur tightly.

"I hope so." Goldenstar was saying, his voice much closer now. Buzzardpaw's heart dropped to his paws. "If not, I could-" The tom stopped, audibly sniffing. _Oh no, he's detected us! _Wriggling his body desperately, Eagleheart managed to wrench his hindquarters free. The thorns still clung to his tail stubbornly, the long hairs snagged in the spiny bush. Lifting his head, Buzzardpaw gulped as he saw his father's ear tips appear over the undergrowth, his head turned in their direction.

"Sorry." The apprentice whispered.

"What?" Eagleheart mewed in confusion.

Lifting his paw high in the air, Buzzardpaw brought his unsheathed claws down onto his brother's tail, causing the warrior to lurch forward in pain. Freed from the bush, Eagleheart raced deeper into the undergrowth, Buzzardpaw hot on his trail. The two eventually appeared at the WindClan border, the entrance to the tunnels hidden beneath an overgrown bush. LIfting the fronds with his paw, Buzzardpaw frowned as Eagleheart shook his head.

"Come on, this is how we get to the barn!" The apprentice mewed, motioning with his tail.

Eagleheart stubbornly remained seated, a scowl on his face. "This is the 'shortcut' you spoke of? I'd rather go the long way."

"The long way is across WindClan territory, we'll be in even more trouble if we get caught there." Buzzardpaw's frown deepned as the thrumming sound of pawsteps got louder and louder. "Come on, Eagleheart, they're coming!"

"Yeah but, is it safe?"

Growing impatient, Buzzardpaw leapt behind his brother and thrust him into the dark hole. Growling, Eagleheart continued forward, his ears flattened to his head. Buzzardpaw looked back to see the shadow of a cat blocking the light from the way they came, the tunnel too dark to make out their features. _That was a close one. _He turned forward to find his brother glaring at him, his face barely visible in the darkness. "Thanks, a lot."

"I had to do it, they were about to find us."

Eagleheart let out a whistling sound from his nose. "I've already lost half my tail and almost got caught by an enemy clan, and we haven't even reached the rogues yet." He shook out his pelt, glaring upwards at the low ceiling. "Seems like a bad omen if you ask me."

"It's not, I promise." Buzzardpaw reassured his brother, touching his nose to his cheek. He squeezed past the large tom to take the lead. "You'll enjoy yourself, you'll like my friends."

"If you say so." Eagleheart grunted. The two toms continued their journey through the tight tunnels in silence, aside from their ragged breaths. Buzzardpaw frowned as he felt the warm air from his brother's nostrils get faster and faster, indicating the warrior's bad nerves. _He's not comfortable in the tunnels like I am. I don't want him to be any more grouchy than he already is! _He quickened the pace, sighing in relief as bright light shined into the tunnel, showing the nearby exit. Bursting above ground, Buzzardpaw squinted as the harsh sunlight attacked his eyes. Eagleheart appeared next to him a heartbeat later, gulping in the fresh air. "That was horrifying. Please don't ever make me do that again."

Buzzardpaw grinned, though not at his brother's comment. The massive red figure of the barns loomed over the two cats, making Eagleheart's eyes widen in shock. _I remember having that same reaction. _He raced forward, this time making sure his brother was close behind him. The two toms eventually reached the fence that allowed entry into the Orion's barn, which Buzzardpaw happily slunk under. Eagleheart decided to leap over, perching on the wooden rail defensively. Shaking his head, Buzzardpaw turned his attention back to the space in front of him. "Orion! Orion?"

A small shape slunk under the other side of the fence, making its way towards the two cats. Buzzardpaw's ears swiveled backwards as he heard Eagleheart's claws scraping against the wood, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Giving his brother a look, Buzzardpaw turned back to the newcomer, a smile on his face. "Orion!"

"Buzzardpaw!" Orion mewed, bounding forwards gracefully. Buzzardpaw pressed his nose to the tom's cheek, breathing in his sweet scent. Orion returned the gesture, letting out a quiet purr. "You're here much earlier than normal."

The apprentice nodded, his smile growing bigger. "I wanted to see you. Also, there's someone I want you to meet." He gestured towards Eagleheart, who glared down at Orion suspiciously.

Orion looked at the tom perched on the fence, a curious look on his face. "Oh Buzzardpaw, is this your brother?" Buzzardpaw grinned, nodding. _Orion realized that we were related right away… it's crazy how I didnt notice before. _"By golly, he's a looker."

Eagleheart huffed, his tail lashing. "So you're Orion. I've heard a lot about you."

Orion turned to Buzzardpaw, a mischievous look on his face. "Awe, Buzzy talks about me? That's so cute!"

Buzzardpaw looked down at his paws, embarrassed. "It's not like that, I-"

"Well Buzzardpaw may have told you about me," Orion interrupted, "but I haven't heard anything about you. What's your name, gorgeous?"

Eagleheart raised an eyebrow at the last word. "Eagleheart."

Orion hummed, his whiskers twitching playfully. "Eagleheart? Mmh, courageous, brave, daring… very fitting for a tom as handsome as yourself. Come closer so I can get a better look at you."

"I'd rather not." Eagleheart growled, stubbornly digging his claws into the wood.

"Well, why not?" Orion purred, his tail curling behind him. "I can't promise that I won't bite, but if I do, I _promise _that you'll like it."

Eagleheart growled, his eyes narrowed to slits. "If you get within a hair length of me, I'll skin you alive and use your pelt as my bedding." In spite of this, the ShadowClan warrior leapt down from his perch, stalking forward to stand next to his brother.

The rogue smirked, his voice silky. "As long as I get to be in your bed, dear."

Eagleheart grunted, unimpressed with his words. He sniffed the tom before him, his eyes flashing curiously. "You're awfully clean for a rogue."

"And you're awfully stunning for a clan cat." Orion retorted, not missing a beat. He began to circle the warrior, seemingly forgetting the warning he was given a moment ago. "That brooding nature, those bulging muscles, those gorgeous eyes…" Orion batted his eyes dramatically. "Ah, you're something a tom could only dream of."

"Charming." Eagleheart hummed, a scowl on his face.

Buzzardpaw watched the two toms interact, the familiar nagging jealousy growing in the back of his mind. _Sure, Eagleheart is handsome, so it makes sense that Orion is flirting with him. And besides, Eagleheart and I look just alike, so that means Orion thinks I'm handsome too! Right? _He forced himself to smile as Orion winked at him, too deep in his own thoughts to realize what the tom had said. _I should just be happy that they're getting along… at least I think they are._

"Well," Orion was saying, his whiskers twitching, "I'm sure you two didnt visit just to stand in the hot sun. Come on, everyone is inside!" The tom bounded towards the barn, his long tail trailing behind him.

Buzzardpaw began to follow, stopping as Eagleheart slapped his tail on his shoulders. The warrior looked at his brother quizzically, a single eyebrow raised. "Are you sure that's Orion?"

The apprentice nodded, smiling. "Yeah. He's great, right?"

Eagleheart hummed, looking unconvinced. "He's, um, very eccentric. From the way you described him, I thought he'd be less… flamboyant, for lack of a better word." Buzzardpaw made a face, which Eagleheart noticed, rephrasing. "He's just not what I expected. You don't seem like the type to have such obnoxious friends."

Buzzardpaw frowned, unsure if Eagleheart was insulting him or Orion. He decided to drop the topic, gesturing for his brother to follow him into the barn. The warrior reluctantly followed behind, his ears pricked and his claws unsheathed. Shaking his head, Buzzardpaw padded in, his nose immediately greeted by the smell of prey. His mouth watering, he hungrily looked to the pile of mice a few tail lengths away.

"You can have some if you want." A voice mewed in his ear. Jumping in shock, Buzzardpaw flattened his bristling fur as he realized it was Orion. The tom purred, his yellow eyes sparkling in amusement. "Did I startle you?"

The apprentice nodded. "A little bit. I wasn't expecting you to be so close."

"I like being close to you," Orion mewed, winking. Feeling his eartips grow hot, Buzzardpaw beelined towards the pile before the blood could rush to his face. Grabbing a plump mouse, he tore into it hungrily, only lifting his head to notice Eagleheart still standing at the barn's entrance, his pelt bristling as Orion stepped closer to him.

Before he could say something rude, Buzzardpaw motioned his brother over with his tail. Eagleheart slowly stalked over, his eyes flickering around the barn. Once he was close enough Buzzardpaw pushed the half eaten mouse to the warrior, which was immediately refused. "I'd rather not get comfortable enough to eat in enemy territory." Eagleheart grunted, sitting over his brother.

Swallowing another mouthful of mouse, Buzzardpaw sighed. "They're not our enemies, Eagleheart," he started, giving his brother a tired look, "they want to help us. Just be nice, please?"

Eagleheart scoffed, his tail lashing. "There is no being nice. They are rogues and they will be treated as such." As he finished saying this, Orion emerged from behind a haystack, the rest of the rogues in tow. He grinned eagerly, his eyes wide and playful.

"Everyone," Orion began, his tail swishing behind him, "meet our new friend, Eagleheart."

Tom, Icy, Snowball and Argus stood behind the tom, eyeing the newcomer curiously. Tom stepped forward first, a small smile on her face. "Nice to meet you. I'm Tom."

"Tom?" Eagleheart mewed, his confusion evident. "You're obviously a she-cat."

"Twolegs." Tom mewed simply, chuckling.

Eagleheart's whiskers twitched. "Kittypet rogues. Great." Buzzardpaw jabbed him in the side with his paw, which the warrior shrugged off.

"I'm Argus." Argus stepped forward next, holding something white and fluffy. Buzzardpaw frowned, not being able to tell what it was.

"What are you holding?"

"This is my guidance doll, Mr. Fluffy." Argus answered. He then turned to Eagleheart, tilting his head. "You seem to have a lot of anger inside of you. Would you like to hold Mr. Fluffy?"

Eagleheart scowled, his lip curling. "No, I'd rather-" Buzzardpaw stopped him with another jab to the stomach. "No, thank you." The warrior hissed, giving his brother a pointed look.

Snowball spoke up next, his face red. "I-I'm Snowball, and this is my sister Icy." Icy stood next to him, her intense gaze boring through the warrior.

Seeming slightly uneasy from the she-cat's stare, Eagleheart gave the siblings a simple nod, then turned to his brother. "There, I met your friends. Can we go now?"

Buzzardpaw shook his head. "We haven't found any clues yet! And besides, you haven't met everyone." Swiping his tongue over his jaws, he looked to Orion. "Where's Flurry?"

"With her she-cat friend." Orion purred, grinning. Just as he said this, Flurry emerged from behind her brother, her single eye immediately falling onto Eagleheart.

"Who is this?" The she-cat growled, her voice unfriendly.

"This is Buzzardpaw's brother." Orion mewed, glancing at her. "Isn't he a cutie?"

Flurry grunted, giving the warrior a cold stare. "You shouldn't keep your claws unsheathed like that." she hummed, stalking closer. "Makes them dull."

Eagleheart rose to his paws, returning the she-cat's glare. "Trust me, my claws are _far _from dull."

Scoffing, Flurry gave the tom an unimpressed look and turned to her brother. "I thought you said you weren't going to bring anymore clan cats around?" she started, her tail lashing. "They're arrogant mouse brains that only cause trouble."

Orion shrugged. "I didn't expect Buzzardpaw to bring his brother. Besides," He gave his sister a sly smirk, "you sure don't feel that way towards Aspenpaw."

Looking embarrassed, Flurry looked away. "She's different. I've known her for a long time."

"We've known Buzzardpaw for a long time."

"Well, not as long as I've known Aspenpaw." Flurry huffed and headed towards the barn entrance. "I'm leaving."

"Tell Aspenpaw I said hi!" Orion called after her, grinning. The she-cat ignored him and padded away, prompting Orion to head towards Buzzardpaw. Before he could reach him however, Icy intercepted him, her face only a whisker-length away from the apprentice's.

"Hello." Icy mewed, staring into his eyes.

Buzzardpaw shuffled his paws, scooting back a little. Icy quickly closed the distance, pressing her nose against his. Jerking away, Buzzardpaw sighed. "Hi, Icy."

Icy sat down next to him, intertwining her tail with his. "How are you? Are you well? I hope you're well. I've been okay, but I've missed you a lot. I wish you would come more often. I hate when you leave me. I think you're amazing. Have you considered taking a mate yet? She would definitely be a lucky she-cat. I hope she's pretty. I think I'm pretty. Do you think I'm pretty? I'd be so happy if you did, then we could…" Buzzardpaw desperately looked to his brother, who only snickered at him. _StarClan help me!_

"Have you said hello to my brother?" Buzzardpaw interrupted the she-cat, Pulling his tail from hers to point to him. Icy's attention immediately diverted to the warrior, who once again looked uncomfortable under its intensity. "He's a pretty cool cat."

"Hello." Icy mewed, her whiskers twitching. "You're very handsome."

"Um," Eagleheart looked taken aback, "thank you?"

Icy blinked, then turned back to Buzzardpaw. "You're both handsome. But I like you, Buzzardpaw. You make me happy. I think about you all the time. Do you think about me? I hope you do. I think… I think I lov-"

"Alright, that's enough crazy for today." Orion mewed, nosing Icy away from the two toms. The she-cat looked at him angrily, her nostrils flaring and claws unsheathing. "You're smothering them. They're obviously uncomfortable."

"Buzzardpaw wasn't uncomfortable." Icy turned to Buzzardpaw, her teeth bared. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Buzzardpaw?"

Buzzardpaw shuffled his paws, looking at the wooden floor. "Kind of," he mewed quietly, not wanting to upset the she-cat any further, "I don't like when you go on long tangents about how much you missed me."

"But I did miss you!" The she-cat protested, her voice a shout. "Buzzardpaw, I lov-"

Tom appeared behind Icy, grabbing her by the scruff. "Come on, Icy," she mewed, sounding annoyed, "lets go do something together. Leave the boys alone." Icy struggled in the larger she-cat's grasp, unable to break free. Watching them disappear behind a stack of hay, Buzzardpaw let out a long sigh.

"Well that was interesting." Eagleheart mewed, his whiskers twitching.

"Tell me about it."

"She obviously likes you," the tom continued, "in a strange sort of way. I wouldn't break her heart if I were you, she's not exactly… right in the head."

Buzzardpaw lashed his tail. "But I don't like her! I am nice to her, but that seems to make her go even crazier." He lifted his head, his attention on Orion, who had moved a few tail lengths away. "There's a cat for everyone, I'm just not the one for her."

Eagleheart followed his gaze, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as he looked at Orion. "I do hope you aren't talking about him."

Flustered, Buzzardpaw wrenched his eyes from the pretty tom and turned to his brother. "What? N-No! No way. Orion is just a friend of mine. Also, keep your voice quiet." Giving his chest fur a few licks, he looked at his paws. "Besides, even if it was him, what does it matter?"

"I just dont think he's a good match for you."

Frowning, Buzzardpaw looked back up. "Why not? You don't even know him! He's kind and funny and sweet, are you just saying that because he's a rogue?"

Eagleheart shook his head. "No, that's not it." He then rolled his eyes at the tom, prompting Buzzardpaw to turn his head. Orion was whispering something into Snowball's ear, his sultry purrs audible from where the two toms were sitting. As Snowball's face reddened with a deep blush, Eagleheart scoffed, his tail lashing. "I think my brother deserves more than an air headed tom that flirts with anything that breathes."

His ears pricked, Orion turned around, a smirk on his face. "Nuh-uh. I dont flirt with anything that breathes, I flirt with any _tom_ that breathes."

His face heating up, Buzzardpaw looked at the tom. "How much of the conversation did you hear?"

"Only the good parts." Orion purred, winking. Buzzardpaw looked at his paws in embarrassment. _I told Eagleheart to speak quieter!_

Eagleheart's whiskers twitched, his golden eyes flashing. "Whatever," he mewed, his voice finally a whisper, "it doesn't matter if you have a simple crush on him. Just don't get too involved. We'll be meeting these cats in battle one day."

"I don't have a crush on him," Buzzardpaw protested, "and we won't be fighting them." Eagleheart gave him a disbelieving look but didn't say anything, crouching lower to the ground.

Orion approached the two, his whiskers twitching. "Well boys, I hope you're enjoying yourselves." Eagleheart gave the tom a rude, 'Not really," but Orion ignored it, his eyes bright. "It's getting late, the moon's coming out."

Buzzardpaw looked to the barn entrance, surprised to see a pale silver glow lighting the area instead of the bright orange from before. He frowned, turning to his friend. "I guess that's our que to leave."

Orion looked downcast, his tail swaying behind him. "I wish you didn't have to leave so soon, I barely spent time with you." He then perked up, as an idea came over him. "Unless you don't have to leave. Why don't we give Eagleheart a tour of the entire place?"

Before Buzzardpaw could approve of the idea, Eagleheart rose to his paws, towering over the short rogue. "No. This was a waste of time. Come on Buzzardpaw, we're leaving."

The apprentice frowned, standing up. "Come on, Eagleheart, it will be fun! We have a long while before moonhigh, we can make it back to our clans in time."

"No."

"Please? We might find some clues!"

Looking undecided, Eagleheart opened his jaws, but Orion spoke before he could. "It's settled then! We better get moving quickly!" Without another word he whipped around and bounded out of the barn, a bright smile on his face. Buzzardpaw followed behind him, making sure Eagleheart came as well. With a loud sigh of annoyance, Eagleheart tailed them slowly, his claws unsheathed. "Is he always this grouchy?" Orion whispered, once Buzzardpaw had caught up.

Buzzardpaw nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah. He acts like he woke up in a pile of fire ants every day!"

"I heard that." Eagleheart hissed behind the two, prompting them to giggle.

The three toms quickly walked through the farm, visiting every fenced area connected to the barns. They began to trek back to Orion's, the moon at an angle above the sky.

"I guess this is where our adventure ends!" Orion chirped, sitting down.

"Good riddance," Eagleheart growled, his voice low, "can we go now?"

"I'm not keeping you," Orion mewed, his voice playful, "unless you _want _to stay."

Eagleheart shook his head. "No thank you." He began to head towards the fence that led to the tunnels, leaping on top and perching there. "Ready when you are, Buzzardpaw."

Buzzardpaw pressed his nose to Orion's cheek, breathing in the tom's sweet scent. "Goodbye, Orion."

Orion licked his cheek, a small smile on his face. "Don't sound so sad, you'll be back in a moon."

The apprentice grinned. "You're right, I'll see you then. Goodbye! I'll-" He was suddenly cut off by a loud screech, it's sharpness sending chills down his spine. Another voice had joined the first, which then prompted another. Looking around in confusion, Buzzardpaw flattened his ears as Eagleheart appeared next to him, looking just as perplexed.

"What is that?" The warrior yowled, barely able to be heard over the loud noise. "Is some cat hurt?"

Orion seemed excited, his eyes glittering. "No, that's a meeting call!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hello again! Sorry for the delay, but here's part one of chapter 28! Eagleheart actually came to the barn to meet everyone, but still seems unconvinced! Will he change his mind? And what's up with the meeting call? Why would the rogues need to hold meetings? All of this will be answered in part two (for the most part), so stay tuned! I've written a good portion of it so far, so I should have it up pretty soon.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


	31. Allegiances (Version 20)

**Allegiances (Updated)**

**THUNDERCLAN:**

Leader:

Goldenstar - A massive, muscular, dark brown tabby tom with large, black paws and striking golden eyes.

Deputy:

Palecloud - A thin cream colored tom with a long tail.

Medicine Cat:

Speckledlight - A small, gray colored she-cat with a white muzzle speckled with dark grey flecks.

Warriors:

Cherrystrike - A red tabby tom.

Aloefang - A white she-cat with protruding pointy teeth.

Briarfoot - A large brown tom.

Foxgrowl - A lanky red tom with a fox-like appearance.

Koipatch - A small white she-cat with splotches of orange and black spotting her pelt.

Quailblink - A gray she-cat with pitch black paws.

Chipmunkzip - A brown she-cat with a streak of white running down her back.

Dingomuzzle - A ruddy colored tom with small white paws.

Russetprowl - A large, red ciolored tom with white and brown patches covering his thick coat. (Apprentice: Buzzardpaw.)

Doeskip - A brown she-cat with a white muzzle.

Jackdawtalon - A black she-cat with long, white claws.

Sprucestep - A brown spotted tom.

Thistlepounce - A dark brown tabby tom with dark amber eyes.

Honeytail - A yellow pelted she-cat with green eyes.

Voletail - A skinny, brown tabby tom with white paws.

Dragonflywing - A lean black and white tom with Heterochromia.

Violetstream - A white she-cat with light brown markings.

Fawnleap - A small, beautiful, brown and red spotted she-cat with dark yellow eyes and a small head.

Apprentices:

Buzzardpaw - A large reddish-brown tabby tom with black paws, striking golden eyes and odd shaped dapples spotting his thick pelt. (Mentor: Russetprowl.)

Queens:

Newtwhisper - A rose colored she-cat with a black tail.(Kits: Brindlekit, Springkit, Softkit.)

Kits:

Brindlekit - A cream colored tom with a long, black tail. (Mother: Newtwhisper.)

Springkit - A cream colored she-kit with faint tabby markings and round, green eyes. (Mother: Newtwhisper.)

Softkit - A rose colored she-kit with soft, blue eyes and faint tabby markings, (Mother: Newtwhisper.)

Elders:

Mottleddusk - A gray tom with crooked whiskers.

Elkpool - A brown colored she-cat with a single white paw.

**SHADOWCLAN:**

Leader:

Flamestar - A flame colored tom with glowing amber eyes.

Deputy:

Vulturefeather - A dark brown tom with feather like hairs protruding from his ears.

Medicine Cat:

Cinderpaws - A gray tom with a short, stubby tail. (Apprentice: Gorsepaw.)

Warriors:

Shrewpounce - A brown spotted tom.

Nettleclaw - A black she-cat with a spiky tail. (Apprentice: Orangepaw.)

Velvetowl - A white she-cat with black spots. (Apprentice: Flowerpaw.)

Oatblossom - A brown tabby tom with darker hindlegs. (Apprentice: Swiftpaw.)

Valleyskip - A white tom with a gray head.

Heatherflight - A light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and small ears. (Apprentice: Quailpaw)

Ebonythroat - A thin white she-cat with a splash of black on her throat.

Chivepelt - A flame colored tom with bright green eyes. (Apprentice: Tigerpaw.)

Pinknose - A small yellow she cat with white paws and a bright pink nose.

Evergreenstride - A small, yellow colored she-cat with bright green eyes.

Eagleheart - A huge brown tabby tom with black paws, a splash of white on his chest, and striking golden eyes.

Apprentices:

Flowerpaw - A brown she-cat with white paws. (Mentor: Velvetowl.)

Gorsepaw - A small brown tom with a slight stammer. (Mentor: Cinderpaws.)

Quailpaw - A small, beautiful silver and white tabby she-kit with soft, white paws and dark spots around her eyes. (Mentor: Heatherflight.)

Orangepaw - An orange tabby tom with white paws. (Mentor: Nettleclaw)

Swiftpaw - A light gray tom with white paws. (Mentor: Oatblossom)

Tigerpaw - A large yellow tom with distinct tabby markings. (Mentor: Chivepelt)

Queens:

There are no queens in ShadowClan.

Kits:

There are no kits in ShadowClan.

Elders:

Minnowtail - A small brown and white tom.

**RIVERCLAN**:

Leader:

Pikestar - A tall, sleek furred, gray tom with a curly tail.

Deputy:

Creekswim - A brown tabby she-cat with black markings on her face.

Medicine Cats:

Cedarsplash - A white tom with a brown face and brown paws.

Reedshine - A white she-cat with faint gray tripes.

Warriors:

Birchwing - A light gray tom. (Apprentice: Snowpaw.)

Clayspots - A brown and black spotted tom.

Mossfall - A orange colored she-cat with green eyes.

Rippleclaw - A blue colored tom with black toe-tips.

Spottedclaw - A brown and white tom.

Snakeshadow - A black she-cat with white markings.

Silverflash - A sliver tabby tom with a splash of white on his chest.

Rootfang - A brown she-cat with white paws.

Ottersplash - A brown tabby tom with soft blue eyes.

Mothtooth - A orange she-cat with green eyes.

Whiteear - A pale cream tom with white tipped ears.

Apprentices:

Snowpaw - A pure white tom. (Mentor: Birchwing.)

Queens:

There are no queens in Riverclan.

Elders:

Heroncloud - A frail black she-cat with a graying muzzle.

**WINDCLAN:**

Leader:

Furzestar - A thin, wiry brown she-cat with yellow eyes.

Deputy:

Toadstalk - A pitch black tom with glowing amber eyes. (Apprentice: Goosepaw.)

Medicine Cat:

Juniperclaw - A small, lavender colored tom with a long, slender tail. (Apprentice: Rushpaw.)

Warriors:

Haybreeze - A brown she cat.

Hazellight - A light cream she-cat with a short pelt.

Beesting - A yellow colored she-cat with black markings. (Apprentice: Aspenpaw.)

Smokepelt - A gray tabby tom with a lighter gray belly.

Sparrowbrook - A brown tabby tom.

Poppydust - A tawny she-cat with a white belly.

Tinypaws - A small black tom with white paws.

Beechclaw - A muscular yellow colored tom with amber eyes.

Featherdusk - A slender gray tom.

Berryspots - A yellow colored tom with dark brown spotts spotting his pelt.

Apprentices:

Goosepaw - A black tom. (Mentor: Toadstalk)

Aspenpaw - A pretty brown she-cat with green eyes. (Mentor: Beesting)

Rushpaw - A flame colored tom with cream paws. (Mentor: Juniperclaw)

Queens:

Cypressgaze -A flame colored she-cat with cream paws. (Kits: Daisykit, Mistykit, Stonekit.)

Kits:

Daisykit - A black she-cat with cream colored paws. (Mother: Cypressgaze.)

Mistykit - A flame colored she-cat with a black tail. (Mother: Cypressgaze.)

Stonekit - A black tom with a splash of orange on his belly. (Mother: Cypressgaze.)

Elders:

Rabbitspring - A lean brown tom with black and white paws.

**CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS:**

**ROGUES**

Maggot - A hairless tom with a lean, skinny body.

Pitch - A pitch black tom with a raspy voice.

Icy - A white she-cat with icy blue eyes.

Gravel - A gray tom with cracked yellow teeth.

Argus - A brown and gray tom.

Snowball - A white fluffy tom with bright blue eyes.

Tom - A large brown she-cat with a frill of fluff around her neck.

Flurry - A lanky, muscular, battle-scarred she-cat with a single, bright blue eye.

Orion - A small, fluffy, brown and orange mottled tom with white underbelly, a triangular shaped head and a long plumy tail.

Puma - A sandy colored tom with a broad head and black ears.

Soot - A black tom with blue eyes.

Burt - A siamese tom.

Joel - A siamese tom.

Thorn - A massive dark gray tabby tom.

Bristle - A fawn colored she-cat with long claws.

Snake - A bright orange she-cat with long teeth.

Wasabi - A muscular brown tom with light green eyes.

**LONERS**

Ashpaw - A big, broad-shouldered gray tom with dark amber eyes.

Viperhiss - A massive, heavily scarred black and gray tabby tom with long, black claws.

* * *

**Here's an updated allegiance list! I've added more cats to the other clans, updated a few descriptions, and added Eagleheart to the warriors group in ShadowClan. Expect this to be updated at least one more time, because Buzzardpaw has to become a warrior, and war is coming! (ooh)**


	32. Chapter 28 (Part Two)

"Come on!" Orion mewed, sliding under a low fence. Buzzardpaw followed suit, Eagleheart reluctantly behind him. _The rogues hold meetings? I didn't know that!_

"What do rogues need to hold meetings for anyways?" Eagleheart grunted, his voice low.

"I'd like to know as well." Buzzardpaw added, trying to keep pace with the tom in front of him.

Orion continued to run, dashing under another fence. "I'll explain when we get there, just come on!"

Without another word, the three toms raced under another fence, the yowls sounding louder. Buzzardpaw flinched as something dashed past him, calming slightly as he realized it was only his brother. His alarm rose once more as Eagleheart barreled into Orion, knocking him onto his side.

Orion winced, pinned by the other tom. "What was that for?"

"How do I know that you aren't leading us into a trap?" Eagleheart growled, his face only a whisker length from Orion's.

"Why would I do that?"

"Oh, I don't know," the ShadowClan warrior started, "it's not like you're taking us to a group of hostile, brutish rogues or anything. We're two clan cats. You may have been keeping up this 'nice cat' ruse, but, I'm sure the rest of your kind wouldn't be as friendly. Why else would you want us to follow you with such urgency?"

"Because I don't want to miss the meeting, dummy!" Eagleheart snarled at the last word, but Orion ignored it. "A meeting has not been held since before I was born, so this will be my first one. They're really rare, so of course I would want to get there as soon as possible! Besides, you two are looking for clues, right? The opportunity has just presented itself!"

Eagleheart reluctantly stepped off of the tom, still looking unconvinced. "How do you expect us to get close enough to gather information then? If they see us, Buzzardpaw and I will be crowfood."

Orion rose to his paws, shaking the dust from his pelt. "Easy. We hide in plain sight." Before the warrior could ask any more questions, Orion trotted off, his tail held high in the air. With a growl of distrust Eagleheart fell in beside his brother, his golden eyes narrowed.

"Trust him, Eagleheart," Buzzardpaw mewed, shouldering his brother kindly, "Orion wouldn't intentionally lead us into trouble."

"It sure seems like he is." Eagleheart hummed.

Sighing, Buzzardpaw walked behind Orion, excitement buzzing through his veins. _A rogue meeting sounds crazy! Eagleheart and I are going to gather so much information! _As the three ducked under another fence, a question entered his mind. _But what will we do with the information? It's not like we can tell any cat, we'll get in trouble!_ Buzzardpaw was unable to think of an answer as Orion had lowered his tail, his body now low to the ground. Following his movements, Buzzardpaw slunk behind the tom, the rogue's plumy tail tickling his nose. Hiding in the shadows of a tall tree, the three emerged into a large clearing, a massive red barn looming above them. _That's the tallest barn, it makes sense that they would hold meetings here._ The clearing was completely empty, eerie pale moonlight lighting it. Lifting his head, Buzzardpaw noticed three cats on top of the barn's roof, the heads lifted to the sky as they caterwauled the meeting call.

"Over here." Orion whispered, having walked ahead. He was standing next to a tall haystack, its base wide enough to fit all three toms. "We'll hide inside this."

As Buzzardpaw stepped closer, he noticed Eagleheart tense next to him. "What?"

"What… what is that thing?" The warrior mewed, his nose wrinkled. "I saw a lot of it in the barn, but I wasn't interested enough to ask."

"It's a haystack."

Eagleheart huffed, lifting his head defiantly. "I don't trust it."

Letting out a quiet chuckle, Orion turned to the tom in disbelief. "What, are you scared? It's not going to bite you." The tom suddenly tensed, his ears pricked. "Come on, they're here! Get in now."

"But-"

"Get in! It's just yellow grass." Without another word, the rogue dove into the haystack, its length trembling from the action. Eagleheart opened his mouth to protest but Buzzardpaw nudged him in, following behind. The haystack was surprisingly hollow on the inside, giving the cats room to settle down without the weight of the stack bearing on their backs. Buzzardpaw wiggled next to Orion, who was pawing at the hay.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

"Making little windows for us to look out of." Orion's eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "We can't just stick our heads through, they'll see us."

"Can I help?" Buzzardpaw mewed excitedly, flinching as a stalk of hay poked him in the eye.

"Nope," Orion mewed, frowning, "I have to do it. If you dig too deep, the entire stack will come crashing down." Not wanting to risk being caught, Buzzardpaw stepped back so Orion could dig himself and Eagleheart a hole to peep through. As the tom stepped back, Buzzardpaw stuck his face through, surprised to see outside into the clearing. _Orion's great! _Eagleheart settled in beside him, mumbling about how stupid everything was.

Hearing a steady thrumming sound, Buzzardpaw looked towards the opposite side of the clearing to see a mass of cats pour into the area, a few tough looking cats flanking them. Once every cat was seated, the muscular cats took a seat at the entrance of the barn, blocking the view inside. "Those are the soldiers." Orion whispered into his ear. After a few moments of silence, an old, frail, brown tabby tom staggered into the clearing, his eyes glassy. He sat down in front of the soldiers, facing the crowd. A skinny but lean hairless tom sat down next to him, his pitch black eyes unreadable. _He's… ugly._

"I have returned from my journey," the brown tom croaked, his voice weak, " and I've called this meeting to discuss our future, and the dangers that lurk ahead. The spirits have spoken with me, the peace within our home is being threatened by a familiar stranger." Buzzardpaw tilted his head in confusion. _Spirits? Do these cats believe in StarClan? And what is a 'familiar stranger'? _He glanced to Orion for answers, but the tom stared forward, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Councilman Sage," an orange tom from the crowd interrupted, "I do hate to interrupt, but the spirits haven't spoken to you in seasons. What would prompt them to do so now?"

Sage bowed his head, swallowing audibly. "A storm is coming. I spoke with Brook herself in the rapids this morning. Our connection with the spirits has been severed due to an anomaly, I was lucky to spend only a few heartbeats with the queen. Something disruptive has happened in the spirit realm and I believe it has broken through to our own."

Too confused to keep up, Buzzardpaw gently nudged Orion, getting his attention. "What's all this talk about spirits?"

Orion continued to stare forward, his ears perked as Sage continued to ramble. "The cats here believe in the nine spirits: Brook, the Queen of Water, Pyro, the King of Fire, Zephyr, the Prince of the Wind, Gaia, the Princess of the Earth, Luna, the Goddess of the Moon, Sol, the God of the Sun, Abyss, the Demon of Nightmares, Lyte, the Angel of Dreams, and Shade, the divide between of Life and Death. Each spirit has a domain in the afterlife. Every cat is believed to have a connection with one of the spirits and will reside in that domain when they die."

Eagleheart scoffed, rolling his eyes. "And you believe in that nonsense?"

Orion shrugged. "Not me, it's just religious mumbo jumbo. The cats here seem to cling to these beliefs though, some even say they've seen the spirits before."

Buzzardpaw hummed, turning his attention back to the group of cats in front of him. _The cats here have a strange religion, that's for sure. It's so complicated! _He frowned as the sky went dark, a large cloud covering the moon. Sage was still speaking, his silhouette barely visible in the darkness. "The end times are coming, our connections with the spirits must be stronger than ever."

"And if they aren't strong enough?" A voice questioned.

"Then we all perish." The old tom choked out. The clearing became eerily silent, sending chills up Buzzardpaw's spine. _These cats are rogues, but I still feel bad for them! Whatever is coming their way must be horrible. _

"The spirits haven't spoken with us," a shaky voice mewed, "even _you_ said you could only connect with them for a few heartbeats. What do you suggest we do?"

"We forget them." A husky voice responded. Buzzardpaw looked around, trying to locate who it could belong to. He noticed Orion tense beside him, his whiskers twitching. "The spirits have forsaken us, they abandoned us when we needed them the most."

"Who said that?" Sage mewed, his voice angry. Buzzardpaw could see his legs trembling. "Who dares to disrespect the spirits?"

"I do." The voice mewed, closer now. Buzzardpaw frowned as a tom close to the haystack shuffled backward, blocking his view of the newcomer. "It's nice to see you again, Sage."

The old tom gasped quietly. "It can't be..."

"But it is." The mysterious tom grunted. Buzzardpaw strained his eyes, trying his hardest to make out the hulking figure in the darkness. "You may put your fears to rest. Your endless nights are no more, for your Sun has returned."

"I told you to never come back!" The ferocity in Sage's voice made Buzzardpaw flinch. "You were banished, why have you returned?"

The hidden tom let out a raspy chuckle. "Why wouldn't I come back? This is my home."

The cats within the group began to murmur, their voices heavy with confusion. "Who _are _you?" A voice called from further back.

"It's a shame you all dont remember me," the tom mewed, sounding hurt, "but it's to be expected, as your leader here tried his hardest to be sure you've forgotten. I am Sun, and I am here to take my position as your leader."

The tom blocking Buzzardpaw's view scoffed. "As if! Sage is head of the council, not you!"

"He may be the leader now, but did he earn that position fairly? No, he took leadership of the group from my father, and as my father's chosen son, it is my birthright to lead."

"That's allowed," she-cat's voice called, sounding angry, "a cat is allowed to challenge the head of the council. Your father must have lost the fight, get over it!"

Sun clicked his tongue. "Ah, but that wasn't the case, was it Sage?" Sage remained quiet, his ears pinned to his head. "My father was a respected leader for a long time, until he was chased out by a group of scoundrels led by Sage. Sage did not claim the position honorably, he _stole_ it."

"I've had enough of this!" Sage hissed, his voice cracking. "Your father was unwanted, any kin of his is unwanted as well."

"Any kin?" Sun growled, his voice menacing. "That cannot be the case, as a few of my brothers and sisters live here peacefully. If I wasn't mistaken, I'd say that you're being discriminatory, Sage." Sun stepped closer, his massive frame towering over the elder. Squinting hard, Buzzardpaw grunted as the tom's ragged frame remained hidden in the deep darkness.

Letting out a weak cough, Sage raised his voice, his quivering body barely visible. "Any wise tom that cares for his cats would be discriminatory towards the likes of you, Sun. There's an evil inside of you, just like your father. You were banished, you must leave! If you do not leave now, I will order the soldiers to force you out."

"If they listen to you, that is," Sun mewed chillingly. The tom turned his massive head towards the cats seated in front of the barn, his shining amber eyes suddenly visible in the dim light. "Why don't we let them decide? Soldiers, who is more fit to lead?"

After a moment of silence, the soldiers answered in unison. "You are, sir."

"Whose commands would you like to follow?" Sun continued.

"Yours, sir."

Letting out a deep purr, Sun turned back to Sage, his head lifted triumphantly. "And who will you be forcing out tonight?"

The soldiers looked between each other, their eyes cold and certain. "Sage, sir."

Sage let out a choking sound, his body trembling harder. "What are you doing? I'm your leader, I'm the head of the council!"

"Not anymore." Sun responded, sounding disinterested.

"What about you all?" Sage wailed, turning to the crowd. "Are you going to sit here and let this happen?"

The group was quiet, a few hushed whispers muttered here and there. Finally, a hesitant voice spoke. "Is what he said true, Sage? Did you really lead a group of rogues to chase out the previous leader?"

"I did, but it was for the well being of the group! I will admit, I did have a group of cats chase Sun's father out, but it was for a good reason." Sage's mew was desperate now, his green eyes wide. "Cats were dying left and right! He wasn't fit to lead! The spirits told me… I had to…"

The group went silent again. "How come I don't remember any of this, Sage?" An old tom-cat mewed, his voice raspy. "We're brothers. Why cant I recall any of it?"

"Because Sage conspired with Lyte to have your memories wiped." Sun hissed, sounding impatient. "Sage was so jealous of my father's impact, he worked with the angel of dreams to remove any reminder of him. He's a manipulative liar, he's fooled you all."

Buzzardpaw frowned, his whiskers twitching. _That's crazy talk! Are the spirits these cats worship actually capable of that? _Before he could laugh it off, he glanced at Orion, who had an unreadable look on his face. The apprentice's frown deepened. _Does Orion know about this? Is Sun telling the truth?_

"Is it true, Sage?" Another voice called. The question was answered with telling silence, and the quiet clearing immediately erupted into enraged yowls.

"You lied to us! We trusted you!"

"You shouldnt be head of the council!"

"Traitor!"

Eagleheart lashed his tail, growing in annoyance. "Do these fools really believe this nonsense? This cat is obviously lying!" Buzzardpaw couldn't agree with his brother as his attention was on Orion, who was glaring at the old tom in the clearing. _Orion seems to believe it. _

"That seems to settle it." Sun spoke above the angry group, his voice triumphant. "You may take your leave now, Sage."

Sage growled lowly, the raspy sound rattling his entire body. "No! I am the head of the council, I was chosen by Lyte herself!" The clouds parted slightly, the new light illuminating the fear in the tom's eyes. "You're all making a mistake! He only wants to bring war, he'll be the end of you all!"

The group was quiet for a few heartbeats, the tension thick and heavy. A small, old, brown spotted she-cat stepped forward, her head hung in sadness. "You've betrayed us, Sage. As your littermate, I want to take your side, but it's unfair to the group. You must step down."

Sage let out a choked mew of anguish, touching his head to hers. "Fern, please believe me. I've spoken with Lyte, she told me that Sun would return, and he would only wage war on the clans. Think about your daughter, your grandkit, they're in danger!" Buzzardpaw's ears perked. _Some of these cats have clan kin?_

Before Fern could answer, Pitch stepped forward, his pelt barely visible in the dimming light. "I thought you said you _couldn't_ speak with the spirits, and could only contact Brook for a few heartbeats? Now you say you've spoken with Lyte?" The tom scoffed, his unsheathed claws piercing the sand below. "You dare to use the spirits to slander and tell lies about my brother?"

"They aren't lies," Sage hissed, completely invisible due to the darkened sky, "it's the truth! A blind cat could see that something is wrong with this tom, I don't know how you all dont! After all these seasons, you'd think-"

"I've had enough of this," Sun interrupted, his voice low and threatening, "and I've had enough of you, Sage. If you do not wish to step down from your position, then you leave me no choice. I challenge you to a duel Sage, right here, right now."

"No, I refuse! I-" the old tom's voice cut off abruptly, a small thud on the ground sounding after. Buzzardpaw bit his lip as he heard scuffling, the pitch black night making it impossible to see. Suddenly, the clouds opened completely, the moon bathing the clearing with an eerie silver glow. His eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness, Buzzardpaw felt his heart stop as he noticed a frail, brown pelt lying on the ground, completely motionless. _He's dead… _The apprentice was broken from his thoughts as he heard a wail come from the front of the crowd, Fern rushing forward and burying her nose into her brother's pelt.

"It's unfortunate it had to end this way," Sun's voice called, nowhere to be seen, "but alas, this is how tradition goes. I'm sorry for your loss, Fern." Pricking his ears, Buzzardpaw realized the voice was coming from on top of the barn. "But, life goes on, and I am now the head of the council."

"You didn't have to kill him!" A tom's voice called, sounding angry.

"He was just an old tom!" Another voice added.

"He could have left peacefully! He could have-"

"Enough!" Sun howled, his booming voice stunning every cat into silence. "What's done is done, the old bastard is dead now." Buzzardpaw flinched at the hostility in the tom's voice, flattening his ears. "_I _am the head of the council now, whether you like it or not. If you feel like you can do a better job at leading, challenge me now. However, I must warn you. My patience has worn thin, so I cannot ensure that you'll have a peaceful death like your friend Sage here. Now, who wishes to fight me?" The tom was answered with silence, which he responded to with a satisfied 'hmph'. "As I thought," he continued. "Tonight, we enter a new era, one where we extend our territory past the boundaries of the barn. We've boosted our ranks greatly, and we're running out of space for our new mouths."

As he said this, a few cats led by Pitch padded young outside of the barn, their eyes wide and unsure. Buzzardpaw noticed Eagleheart staring intently at one of the new cats, his golden eyes wide in disbelief. Confused, Buzzardpaw pinpointed who he was looking at; a gray tom with dark amber eyes. The tom was much smaller than the other soldiers and looked relatively young, his eyes the size of moons. Buzzardpaw could see the cat's body trembling from where he hid, making him frown in sympathy. _That poor tom, he looks like he could be an apprentice. _Eagleheart mumbled something next to him, but Buzzardpaw couldn't decipher what his brother had said.

"We will take the territory that currently belongs to the clans," Sun continued, his voice turning into a low growl as he said 'clans', "and make it our own. We outnumber them two to one, they don't stand a chance against us."

"Why would we attack the clans," a tom called out, "when we've lived peacefully beside them for such a long time? Why would you want to disrupt that?"

A scraping sound could be heard from on top of the barn, which Buzzardpaw figured was Sun raking his claws down the wooden roof. "I will admit, I do have a few old scores with the clans, scores that will be settled soon." _Old scores? How does Sun have a connection to the clans?_ "As the head of the council, my personal affairs are now the affairs of the entire group, so it's only right that you all help me."

"So you just want to use us for your personal gain!" Another tom yowled, sounding angry.

"No, no, that's the complete opposite of what I want to do. We are family now, and as your leader, your best interests are always my top priority."

Eagleheart scoffed. "Could he at least _try _to sound genuine?"

"Sending us into a potential _war_ is in our best interests?" A she-cat protested.

"You all had no problem attacking WindClan." Sun responded.

"That's because we were forced!" Another cat countered.

"We didn't have a choice!"

"They attacked us first!" Buzzardpaw's ears perked at this. _WindClan would never attack the rogues for no reason! What is this cat talking about? _Eagleheart next to him seemed confused as well, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You just want to use us for your own gain!"

"You don't truly care for us!"

"You're evil!" The clearing was now an outrage of angry yowls, each cat shouting their anger over the other.

"Enough!" Sun yowled, his booming voice sending the group into a stunned silence. "Your chance of getting rid of me passed when you allowed me to kill Sage. You traitorous fools did nothing to stop me, and _now_ you're angry? No! You've made your nest, and you have to lay in it. _I _am the leader now, so _I _make the decisions." The tom took in a few audible breathes, fighting to keep himself calm.

"What do sorry numbskulls like you have to live for anyway?" Pitch added, his eyes narrowed. "You should be grateful that he's decided to use you for his plans and not flay you all like the pieces of crowfood like you are."

"Now now, Pitch," Sun mewed, sounding calmer now, "we don't want to send the wrong message." _His demeanor changes so quickly, its like he's a different cat!_ "Yes, things are going to be much different from now on, but I promise that it's in your best interests. I do not see you as pawns to use to achieve my goals, I see you as allies, groupmates. I lived with once before, we were, and still are, family, and families do what is best for everyone."

A burly gray tom stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. "You keep repeating yourself, but aren't giving any explanations. _How _is fighting the clans in our best interests?"

"You'll see once we win the war."

"But we want answers _now_!" A brown she-cat countered, her tail lashing angrily. "If you expect us to help you, we need to know the reason why."

Pitch stalked closer to her, his face only inches from hers. "You don't need to know anything," he hissed, "besides the fact that you _will _fight, and you _will _submit to Sun. He is the leader now, he makes the decisions."

"Not all of them!" A black tom retorted, standing between Pitch and the seething she-cat. "The council can veto his actions if they feel they're unjust, he doesn't have the power he thinks he has!"

"Is that so?" Sun mewed from atop the barn, sounding amused. "Why don't we conduct a little experiment then? Council, rise." Each of the cats standing in front of the barn rose to their feet, Pitch returning to the spot he was in before. "If you feel that we should not attack the clans, sit." No cat moved. "If you feel like attacking the clans would be beneficial, raise your tail." One by one, each cat in line raised their tail, glaring coldly at the black tom in front of them. "That settles it then, you may sit."

The tom was silent for a moment, finally breaking it with a sharp yowl. "You'll never make me fight, I refuse!"

"Then you'll die with the wetreched clan cats!" Sun shouted, louder. "I am going to bring us to victory, and this is how you treat me? You should be grateful, you should be bowing at my feet!" The tom's voice was venomous and haunting, making Buzzardpaw bristle. "After all these seasons, I've kept you all in mind, knowing that I could improve your livelihood. I'm not asking you to worship me, I'm simply asking that you comply with my demands so we can have a better future. Is that so wrong?"

"Its wrong when your ulterior motives are so obvious, Sun." The black tom spat back. "You don't want to help us, we can all see it."

The hidden tom was quiet, the sound of the whistling wind keeping the clearing from complete silence. "I'm not sure if you've noticed Dusk, but you don't have much of a choice anymore. _I_ am your ruler, _I_ am your god. You may say that I'm evil, but I am truly benevolent, you must _earn _my good nature." The tom's calm mew slowly transitioned to a growl. "I have no 'ulterior motives', after the clans are gone, you will all live prosperous lives full of prey and happiness, I will simply be the catalyst. I am securing your futures, so therefore you owe me the present."

"We owe you nothing!"

"If you wish to continue to live within the walls of this barn, you owe me _everything_." Sun hissed back, his claws audibly scraping the wooden roof he sat on. "You think I'm cruel? Fine, I don't _have _to prove myself to you, but I will, just this one time. I will give you all a taste of my kind heartedness. If you do not wish to remain with us, speak up now and you may leave. I must note however, if you leave, the barn is no longer your home. You must find elsewhere to live. If you're found within radius of our territory, you will be eliminated. Now, Dusk, why don't you take my generous offer?"

Dusk unsheathed his claws, lifting his head proudly. "I'm leaving. I'll never serve you, Sun." A skinny black she-cat next to him tried to silence him, but the tom continued to stare confidently at the leader.

The hidden leader hummed, the deep rumbling sound echoing around the silent area. "Very well then, Dusk. It is unfortunate, but I wish you well."

The scrawny tom pushed his way through the crowd, slipping under the broken fence. Turning back to the soldiers sitting in front of the barn, Buzzardpaw noticed a sandy colored tom with black ears slip away from the others, slinking under the fence as well. Buzzardpaw's heart dropped as he realized what was happening. _It's a trap! That tom shouldn't have left! _Surely enough, a few heartbeats later, a bloodcurdling screech could be heard from afar, sending a wave of fear down the apprentice's spine. Eagleheart tensed beside him, registering what happened as well. Buzzardpaw glanced at the she-cat the tom was sitting next to, her yellow eyes wide with shock and grief.

A chilling chuckle from Sun made Buzzardpaw's pelt prickle in apprehension. "Unfortunately, he couldn't exit the territory quick enough. Does anyone else wish to leave? Maybe you'll be faster than your friend was." The tom was answered with silence. "Noir? Do you wish to leave like your brother did? You're quite agile, you might get lucky." The she-cat continued to stare at her paws in silence, a single tear dropping from her eye. "Good choice. Now that I am the leader, new rules will be implemented. You will refer to me as sir, as I am the authority here and I deserve respect. You all will not be allowed to eat until the soldiers and I have eaten. You are not allowed to hunt, the soldiers will take care of this for you. If you are found eating before being told or hunting, you will be punished." The sandy colored soldier from before had rejoined the others, his massive paws red with fresh blood. "Contacting the spirits is _not _allowed. They have proven that they care for us no longer, so we should not care for them. Cats that are unable to fight will be trained to be medics, if they do not do well, they will be exiled." Buzzardpaw gasped. _This tom is crazy! _"Every cat will wake at dawn to train. If you do exceptionally well in training, you just might earn the honor of joining the Renaissance to train to become a true soldier of the Brigade. Soldiers of the Brigade are the cats closest to me, and therefore receive the most benefits."

"What if we-"

"I wasn't finished!" Sun screeched, making Buzzardpaw flinch in surprise. The leader took a deep breath, fighting to become calm again. "All pregnancies will be regulated and monitored by our medics. After you give birth and the kittens are weaned, your strongest kit will be taken into the Renaissance, the rest you may keep. Sp-"

"Excuse me, sir," A quiet voice interrupted. Buzzardpaw's heart began to race as he saw a small ginger she-cat lift her head, her body shaking. Two small kits were seated by her paws, their eyes unseen as they hid their faces in their mother's pelt. "But what exactly happens to the kits that are taken in? Are they…" She paused, her body trembling violently, "Are they killed? A few soldiers took my kit, Birch, a moon ago. Do you know anything about this? Is he-"

"You want to know if he's still alive?" Sun interrupted, sounding annoyed. "He is. Pitch, retrieve Snatch for me." The black tom disappeared into the barn behind him, shortly reappearing with an orange kit in tow. The tom looked around four moons old, his belly plump and his pelt glossy. The she-cat that had spoken before raced forward to greet her son, but was thrown backwards by a fawn colored she-cat. The kit looked confused for a moment but didn't say anything, sitting next to Pitch. "As you can see, young Snatch is alive and well. After the kit is retrieved from their mother, their name is changed and they are indoctrinated to serve and protect the Renaissance. They will no longer have a connection with their mother and siblings, and thus should no longer be seen as family. Young Snatch will grow up to become a fine soldier of the Renaissance, and so will any other kits that are selected. Speaking of, I believe that there are more kits ready for this honorable selection. Maple," A tortoiseshell she-cat tensed as she heard her name, three kits in front of her. A dark gray tom sat next to her, his nostrils flaring. "How old are your kits?"

"A-a moon and a half, sir." Maple mewed, her wavering voice barely a whisper.

"Ah, they're well past the age of selection. Why wasn't I notified of this?"

"B-Because-"

"Because you're not taking our kit." The gray tom growled, standing to his paws.

"Oh really?" Sun purred, sounding amused. "And who's to say that I'm not?"

"I say so!" The tom bared his fangs at the unseen leader. Buzzardpaw tensed as he noticed a few of the soldiers rising to their paws, their claws unsheathed. _Oh, why won't he just sit down? These cats are ruthless!_ "You dont scare me, Sun."

"It's sir to you." A black tom growled.

"Now now, Soot, he's right. I may not scare him," Sun mewed, "and that's alright, because that's not my goal. My goal is to ensure that everyone lives a happy life once this is all over, which can only happen if I boost my ranks. Stone, by denying us your kit, you're hindering our road to victory, and _his_ chance at a better life. Is that what you really want?"

Stone growled, his tail lashing. "I want what's better for my kits, and that's to keep them away from you! You pretend like you're doing all of this killing and fighting for us, but in reality, it's just for your sick, twisted enjoyment! Lyte may have wiped the other's memories, but not mine. You're no better than your father, I will not allow you to complete his legacy of genocide!"

Sun remained quiet. _I wish I could see his face, I don't know what's coming next! _Buzzardpaw glanced at his brother, who started ahead intently. A quiet sound could be heard from on top of the barn, eventually growing louder and louder. Buzzardpaw realized that it was Sun laughing, the sound gritty and chilling. "You will not _allow _me? I didn't know that I needed your permission." The tom began to cackle again, louder this time. "When will you idiots realize that your _wants_ do not matter? _I_ am the one that makes the final choice, not you. Pitch, which kit looks the strongest?"

"The one in the middle, sir." A gray spotted tom sat between his mother's paws, his green eyes wide.

"And which one is the runt of the litter?"

Hesitating, Pitch confusedly mewed, "The one on the left, sir." A solid gray she kit trembled next to her father.

"Great. Take the runt and the largest and bring them forward."

Pitch moved to grab the kits but Stone leapt in the way, his teeth bared. "You will not touch my kits!" Unmoved, Pitch jostled the tom to the side, roughly snatching the two kits up. As they squealed and squirmed in the tom's jaws, Stone rose to his paws and prepared for another attack, but was forced back down by two other soldiers. "No, Leave them alone!"

Pitch placed the kits down on the ground, lifting his head to nod at his leader. "The kits sir."

Sun grunted, a quiet, unimpressed sound. "Thank you. Thorn? Stand next to the gray kit." A massive gray tom padded forward to stand next to the kit, her tiny body looking like a bug in comparison. Buzzardpaw's heart filled with dread as the soldier glared menacingly at the poor she-kit. _StarClan, please don't let him hurt her. _The group remained silent, wondering what Sun was going to order him to do next. After a few long moments, Maggot opened his mouth and made two rapid clicking sounds with his tongue. The soldiers around Thorn began to grin, their eyes gleaming evilly. Buzzardpaw watched in confusion, unsure of what was happening. _Does he communicate with the clicking? _Maggot clicked three more times, each one with a pause in between. Quicker than a bird, Thorn lifted his clawed paw high in the air and forcefully brought it down on the kit's head, making a sickening crunching sound. The soldier held his paw on the kit's body for a few more heartbeats, finally stepping back to reveal a large bloody pool covering the surrounding sand. Buzzardpaw's mouth gaped in complete shock. _He… He crushed her! _

Too terrified to move, Buzzardpaw was broken from his thoughts as Eagleheart began to squirm next to him, his golden eyes blazing with fury. The tom began to rise to his paws but Buzzardpaw yanked him back down. "Stop moving, you'll give us away!"

"That was a kit, Buzzardpaw!" Eagleheart hissed back. "He _killed _that kit!"

"Keep your voice down!" Orion hissed, his eyes wide. "Do you want us to be next?"

Eagleheart opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by an ear splitting screech. Stone had managed to get away from the soldiers and flung himself at Thorn, throwing him to the ground. The enraged tom tore and ripped at Thorn's belly, shortly wrenched off by Pitch and an orange she-cat. The two soldiers pinned Stone to the dust, struggling against his writhing body. Sun hummed from above, scraping his claws on the barn's roof. "Compliance is something we value. If you don't comply, you will be punished. Though, I must say Stone, you sure have put up a good fight. With careful guidance, you could potentially become a member of the Renaissance. What do you say?"

The gray tom bared his teeth, throwing the she-cat off of his head. "Never! I will never join the cats that killed my daughter! I'd rather die than help you with your sick, evil plan!"

Sun remained silent for a few moments. He then snickered quietly, sending a chill down Buzzardpaw's spine. "What a pleasant coincidence. Very well then." The tom finally growled, obviously struggling to remain calm. "Such a waste. You will now face the guillotine." _The what?_

***WARNING! THE NEXT SCENE IS GRAPHIC!***

Buzzardpaw watched as Pitch and Thorn grabbed Stone by the scruff, roughly throwing his body onto the odd looking piece of twoleg vine lying on the ground. Pitch pinned the Stone's head to the ground, forcing the tom's neck to lie directly onto the vine. Two identical cream toms with brown faces padded forward, each taking one of the ends of the vine into their jaws. The orange she-cat and Thorn joined them, grabbing the vine as well. The sandy colored tom and the broad shouldered gray tom also went to separate ends of the vine, making each side even with three cats on each end. The cats from one end then crossed over Stone's body, the cats on the other end following suit. Maggot stared into Stone's eyes, his skinny body tense. After what seemed like a moon, Maggot clicked his tongue once. All of the soldiers holding the vine began to pull, their muscles straining as they struggled to pull their side the furthest. Buzzardpaw's mouth gaped as he watched the vine begin cut into Stone's neck, a disgusting gurgling sound coming from his mouth. The soldiers tugged more and more, causing the vine to cut deeper and deeper. Feeling sick to his stomach, Buzzardpaw turned his head away, tears stinging his eyes. Eagleheart continued to watch in horror, his eyes the size of moons. Orion pressed his pelt into Buzzardpaw's, whimpering in fear. Finally, the sickening sound stopped, prompting Buzzardpaw to open his eyes. He began to turn his head, but was stopped by his brother.

"Don't look."

"But-"

"Buzzardpaw, PLEASE dont look." Eagleheart's eyes were wide and aghast, his body trembling violently.

Ignoring his plea, Buzzardpaw turned his head completely, immediately regretting his decision. The soldiers had let go of their end of the vine, its entire length splattered with blood. Their eyes were poisonous and sharp as they glared at the carnage before them. Pitch slowly stepped off of Stone's body, revealing a large bloody bone jutting from where his head should have been. A few mouse lengths away, Stone's decapitated head rested on the ground, his face contorted into an expression of indescribable horror. The tom's bulging eyes began to spurt blood, one of the green optics popping out of the skull completely. Giving the headless body one last look, Buzzardpaw turned away and vomited, narrowly missing getting it on himself. Eagleheart and Orion didn't seem to notice, too horrified to care.

***GRAPHIC SCENE END***

The group remained in stunned silence, not believing what they had just witnessed. A loud, choked cry came from Maple, the she-cat grieving her deceased mate. Sun finally spoke, his voice dark and malevolent. "Defiance is something that we despise. If you defy us, expect a similar fate." The tom made a tsk sound. "Though, it's such a shame, Stone would have made a perfect soldier. Now, Pitch, bring the kit closer."

Pitch prodded the gray spotted tom closer with his nose. The kit trembled violently, a small puddle of excrement at his paws. Buzzardpaw tensed, fearful for the small being.

"What's your name, kit?"

"Grass." The kitten mewed, barely audible.

Sun chuckled. "What a pathetic name, your parents must've hated you. You should be relieved that I'm removing them from your life. From now on, your name will be Skull, in remembrance of your father's mistake. You will learn to be a soldier and actually do something _useful _with your life." Buzzardpaw closed his eyes, his body trembling as a small breeze rattled the haystack they hid in. "I've spent enough time with you mongrels. This meeting is dismissed." After he said this, Maggot clicked his tongue once, making the soldiers form a straight line. The hairless tom then clicked his tongue thrice, making the soldiers form a loose circle around the group. Maggot clicked his tongue four times and the soldiers began to lead the group back to the general section, hissing and swatting at those that fell behind. Maggot retreated inside of the barn, roughly picking Skull up from the ground.

Buzzardpaw remained where he was, too stunned to speak. Eagleheart stared at Stone's body, his eyes wet with tears. Orion kept his head pressed into Buzzardpaw's shoulder, his body shaking.

"I'm too scared to look." The mottled tom rasped, his voice choked with tears. Buzzardpaw pulled him in closer with his tail. A dark cloud had covered the moon, filling the clearing with an eerie darkness. He glanced at his brother, who still remained silent.

"Eagleheart, we need to leave." Buzzardpaw's voice was scratchy and raw as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Not yet." Eagleheart whispered.

One of the soldiers had returned, their glowing yellow eyes the only thing visible. The soldier looked around the clearing then began to pace, inching threateningly close to the three's hiding spot. Buzzardpaw's eyes widened in alarm. "Eagleheart, we need to go, NOW." A revolting smell rose from Stone's discarded body, making him feel sick again.

Eagleheart remained still, his golden eyes intense and full of hatred. "No. I need to see who their leader is."

"For what?" Buzzardpaw hissed. The pacing soldier stopped in their tracks, their ears pointed in the direction of the haystack. Buzzardpaw gulped, anxiously prodding his brother in the side. "Eagleheart, we're going to get caught!"

Still unresponsive, Eagleheart continued to stare forwards, his whiskers twitching. A shadow moved, catching Buzzardpaw's attention. The shadow leapt from the top of the barn, staring at the pacing warrior. To Buzzardpaw's dismay, he couldn't make out any features of the cat, its presence gone as fast as it came. _That's definitely Sun, but I can't tell what he looks like!_ Spotting their leader, the pacing tom retreated to the barn, Sun following behind. As the two cats padded deeper into the barn, the clouds suddenly lifted, allowing Buzzardpaw to catch sight of a black tail tip. Nothing else could be revealed however, and Buzzardpaw turned to his brother anxiously.

"There, Eagleheart, you saw."

Seeming discontent, Eagleheart slowly stood, his golden eyes still fixated on the barn. Slowly backing out of the haystack, the group raced away from the barns, finding themselves near the tunnels. Buzzardpaw panted, his mind whirling as he tried to process the events that happened moments ago. Orion stood beside him, still looking shooken. "I cant believe what just happened."

"Why can't you?" Eagleheart suddenly hissed, whipping around. "These cats are _your _kind, you should know what they're capable of."

Buzzardpaw turned to his brother, his eyebrows furrowed. "Eagleheart, that's not fair. Orion is nothing like those… monsters."

"Or is he?" Eagleheart protested, tail lashing. "He's related to these cats, it's in his blood."

Orion stepped closer to Eagleheart, his eyes narrowed. "Why are you mad at _me_? I'm just as shaken as you are! _I_ didn't kill Sage, _I _didn't kill Stone, and _I_ didnt kill that kit, Sun did!"

"You know him, don't you?"

"What?"

"You know who Sun is, don't you?"

Buzzardpaw flinched in shock at the accusation. "What? Eagleheart, you're just talking crazy now."

"Or am I?" The warrior questioned, his golden eyes glaring daggers at Orion. "You may have been watching the meeting Buzzardpaw, but I was watching your 'friend' here the entire time. I saw how you reacted when you heard his name, rogue. I saw how you reacted when Sage told the lie about the light cat or whatever. The point is, you know more than you're telling us, than you're telling _me_."

Orion bared his teeth, his body quivering in anger. "I don't owe you _anything_."

Eagleheart undefeated his claws, the black talons glinting in the moonlight. "You're right. Maybe I'll have to beat the answers out of you then!" The warrior leapt at Orion, immediately pinning the much smaller tom to the ground. Lifting his paw high in the air, the warrior was unable to land a harsh blow as he was hauled off of the rogue by his brother.

"Eagleheart, stop!" Buzzardpaw hissed, standing defensively over Orion's body. "He's not our enemy!"

Eagleheart turned on his brother, his eyes blazing with fury. "You keep saying that, but you can't prove it! How do you know that he's 'on our side'? How do you know that 'he's one of the good ones'? How do you know that he wont turn on you the second he gets the chance?"

"Because he's my friend!" Buzzardpaw snapped, his pelt bristiling in anger.

"Then you're a bigger fool than I thought." The apprentice winced at the hostility in his brother's voice, flattening his ears to his head. "He's a liar, Buzzardpaw, why can't you see that?"

"I haven't lied to you once!" Orion objected, pushing Buzzardpaw off of him. "You're playing detective with the wrong cat, mousebrain. I'm on _your_ side!"

Eagleheart snarled, digging his claws into the soft dirt. "Insult me again and you won't have a tongue to clean your sorry pelt with!"

"Guys, stop it!" Buzzardpaw shouted, thrusting himself between the two angry toms. "We're all worked up, none of us were expecting what happened to happen tonight. We all need to get some rest, we don't need to take our frustrations out on each other. We have one common enemy, it's obvious that Sun is evil and needs to be dealt with. Let's all go to our nests and get some rest, StarClan knows we need it."

"Only StarClan could save this wretched place." Eagleheart growled.

"Whatever." Shaking the dust from his pelt, Orion turned around and began to stalk away. "Buzzardpaw, never bring him here ever again."

Eagleheart scoffed, turning towards the tunnel. "Trust me rogue, you better _hope _that we never meet again."

Watching the two toms angrily stomp away, Buzzardpaw let out a long sigh, feeling his throat grow tight. _Why can't they just get along? We need to form as many bonds now more than ever! _Slowly following behind his brother, Buzzardpaw saw the warrior at the mouth of the tunnel, his claws still unsheathed. Noticing his brother, Eagleheart padded deeper into the dark pit, only stopping as the apprentice called out to him. "What, Buzzardpaw?"

"What you did was uncalled for." Buzzardpaw mewed sternly, his eyes narrowed. "Orion's only trying to help, you shouldn't have attack-"

"What I _should _have done was wipe that smug grin off that foxheart's face!" Eagleheart hissed, whipping around to face his brother. It was impossible to see anything now, but the tom didn't care. "He's a _liar_, Buzzardpaw."

Buzzardpaw growled. "He hasn't lied to us!"

"He did! You were just as lost as I was when he was bringing us to the rogue gathering. With all the time you two have apparently spent together 'finding clues', wouldn't that have come up at least once?"

"But that's not a lie," the apprentice protested, "he just didn't tell me! It never came up in conversation, it's not like rogue gatherings are a common talking point!"

"Not telling the full truth is a _lie_, Buzzardpaw." Eagleheart sighed. "He's obviously hiding something, why don't you realize that? Why do you adamantly insist that he's a good cat, when he's not? If he's truly on our side, he would have given you any and all information about the rogues upfront, but instead, he waits until things conveniently pop up to tell you. Isn't that suspicious?"

Buzzardpaw shook his head. "No, it's not suspicious Eagleheart, because he's a normal cat! Normal cats don't want to think about secret rogue meetings or potential wars, they just want to think about normal cat stuff!"

Eagleheart scoffed. "Well, I'd think that it's kind of hard to think about 'normal cat stuff' when there's a group of rogues training to destroy the clans literally _right next door_! I'm not sure if you realized, Buzzardpaw, but Orion isn't living in a peaceful environment, things are extremely hostile here."

"And yet he's nice to us! That proves he's on the right side!"

"That proves that he's manipulative and sly."

Buzzardpaw groaned in frustration. _He's so stubborn! _"Look, Eagleheart. You've only known Orion for one day. I know it's been a rocky start, but next time we can-"

"No, Buzzardpaw," Eagleheart interrupted, "there won't be a next time, because I'm not coming back, and I suggest you don't either." He sighed once more, pressing his nose to his brother's cheek. "You and Orion may have got along well before, but things will be much different now. Now that Sun is in charge, don't expect Orion to be lounging around in his barn like he was before. He's going to train and fight like the others, train and fight to destroy _us_. You're just an apprentice, don't throw your life away now."

Buzzardpaw jerked back, his eyebrows furrowing. "So that's what this is about? You think I'm just a dumb, naive apprentice that cant handle myself?"

"I didn't say that-"

"You think that you're better than me because you became a warrior early, don't you?" Buzzardpaw narrowed his eyes. "Well you're not, Eagleheart, you're just being a coward."

"I'm not being a coward, I'm being smart about this!" the warrior hissed, quickly regaining his composure. "The rogues _killed_ my mother, Buzzardpaw, they slaughtered her and threw her body away like it was nothing. They… they…" Eagleheart swallowed audibly to stop his voice from cracking. "They killed her, and they'll kill you too. Things may have been safe here before, but they aren't now, and I can't lose another one of my kin to the rogues, not ever again."

Immediately regretting snapping, Buzzardpaw pressed his head to his brother's, feeling a single tear drop down the tom's cheek. "I...I'm sorry, Eagleheart. I know this is hard, but maybe this is what we're supposed to do. We have a prophecy, remember? Maybe we're supposed to help the rogues in some way, maybe that's why I keep coming back"

Eagleheart's breath caught in his throat. "_Help_ them? You think we should _help _the rogues?"

Hearing the rising anger in his brother's voice, Buzzardpaw nodded quickly. "Think about it! The previous leader, Sage, was talking about an anomaly affecting the rogues. They're in trouble too, just like us!"

"They _are_ the trouble, Buzzardpaw!"

"No, wait! Sage also mentioned a great storm coming, so did the leaders! Don't you get it? Maybe the clans and the rogues are supposed to work together! Maybe we're-"

Eagleheart's voice was chillingly quiet, barely a whisper. "Are you genuinely suggesting that two coincidences that we and our enemy _seem_ to share means that we're actually supposed to be allies? Are you actually suggesting that we work together with the same cats that killed my _mother_?"

"Eagleheart, that's not what I'm-"

"You are unbelievable." With that, the warrior stalked deeper down the tunnel, leaving Buzzardpaw in the dark, alone.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Long time no see! Sorry for the extremely late update, I've started college so I'm much busier than I was over the summer.**

**The main antagonist enters center stage! What are Sun's motivations? What does he have against the clans? Are the spirits the rogues believe in real? Are Eagleheart's suspicions about Orion valid? These questions will be answered in future chapters, so stay tuned!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MeltingPopsicles**


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